AYJ Quarterly Members’ Meeting: April 2023
On Tuesday 19th April, the AYJ hosted our quarterly Members’ Meeting, featuring the Executive Director of the Youth Custody Service Ed Cornmell.
Keynote speaker:
In his presentation to members, our guest speaker Ed Cornmell, Executive Director of the Youth Custody Service (YCS), stressed the areas within the children’s secure estate that need further scrutiny and review, including building good relationships between children and staff members and improving staff retention; issues around children receiving visits from family (as emphasised in the Children’s Commissioner for England’s recent report); increasing children’s access to purposeful activity and education; and improving the resettlement of children back into the community following their detention.
Cornmell updated the meeting on the recent move by the government to keep 18 year olds in youth custody rather than usually transitioning them to the adult estate as they turn 18. He clarified that at the moment plans are only around “retaining” young people currently in the children’s estate, and not bringing new over-18s into the children’s secure estate.
Member Q&As:
Youth custody strategy: When questioned on the need for a coherent strategy for the future of the secure estate, Cornmell noted the YCS’s restrictions and limitations, but agreed that further clarity is required on the expectations on secure estate facilities. He highlighted plans for the Secure School, and that the YCS is preparing for the recommissioning of Secure Children’s Homes places due in 2025. He stated that evidence around the pitfalls in the large size of Young Offenders Institutions is being taken into account.
Increase in youth custody population: Cornmell noted increasing numbers of children and young people in custody in recent months, highlighting there had been increases in both under and over 18s, and an increase in First Time Entrants. He attributed some of the increase to increased policing presence, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on children and the justice system.
Racial disparity in reoffending rates in the youth justice system: Cornmell highlighted that the Youth Custody Service will need a more nuanced, focused approach to addressing the needs of Black and mixed heritage children entering the youth justice system. However, there are wider systemic factors at play; he shared that further scrutiny is also required to understand disparity in reoffending amongst children with Asian backgrounds.
Restraint: Cornmell emphasised the importance of the continued rollout of the Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint protocol, and of moving away from pain inducing techniques, such as using Velcro straps instead of handcuffs.
AYJ Organisational Updates:
As well as sharing updates about our project exploring young people’s experience of transition to adulthood in the justice system (read more here) - including the research that we are conducting with members and young people – we shared information about our engagement with parliamentarians and policymakers from the previous quarter, including Youth Justice Minister Damian Hinds, the Shadow Justice team, the Youth Justice Board, Youth Custody Service, and the Ministry of Justice (read more here). We also shared the results of our Members’ survey (more information about these results, and how we have responded to them, can be found here).
Member Updates:
Why Me? have published a new report on ‘‘Understanding barriers to Restorative Justice for young people, young adults and victims of crime‘.