Emma Hardy MP today led a debate in Parliament on the topic of segregation in youth offenders institutions. In her speech she argued that Young Offenders Institutions (YOIs) must balance punishing a child for committing a crime with the need for rehabilitation and assisting the child to become a productive member of society who will not offend again on release. The use of segregation in YOIs, in a similar manner to those used in adult prisons, does not create the right balance between these goals.
Emma commented “To send a child to prison is something that nobody wants to see done. It shows a failure of many parts of our societal infrastructure and everyone would agree that it should definitely be a last resort. Young Offenders Institutions (YOIs) must balance punishing a child for committing a crime with the need for rehabilitation and assisting the child to become a productive member of society who will not offend again on release.
“The use of segregation in YOIs, in a similar manner to those used in adult prisons, does not create the right balance between these goals. When we are witnessing a serious mental health epidemic in our prisons the Government must ask themselves why they are subjecting young people to segregation for extended periods, particularly as they know the impact that it has and how ineffective it is in helping rehabilitation.”
