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Government to keep children out of prison |
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Thursday, 21 February 2008 |
The Scottish Government plans to change laws that allow children to be locked up without having committed an offence.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill also wants changes made to prevent young people in secure care being transferred to establishments on the prison estate after turning 16.
MacAskill says that ‘unruly certificates’ by which children appearing on a charge before a criminal court can be remanded in prison custody, due to their 'unruly' character or behaviour, must be scrapped.
Instead under-16s would be placed in secure care or be placed on an Intensive Support and Monitoring Order, which involves the use of an electronic tag. Those in secure care upon turning 16 would remain there, rather than being automatically transferred to the prison system, normally a Young Offenders Institution.
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons Dr Andrew McClelland has repeatedly raised concerns about children under-16 being held in Scottish prisons.
MacAskill said:
“Scotland needs a coherent penal policy. One that imprisons dangerous criminals who pose a risk to the public, but one that can also turn offenders away from the revolving door of crime. I don't believe that in the long run Scotland will be well served by jailing children.
“Lock up a youth alongside hardened criminals, and there's a risk you'll lock them into a life of crime. So I agree with the Chief Inspector and others that prison is no place for children. That's why I want to scrap unruly certificates and also why, where it might benefit the child, we will allow more to remain in secure care rather than transferring them to the prison estate as soon as they reach 16. We support the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and these are significant steps towards better implementation of the Convention in Scotland.”
One person has commented on this article. 1. Government to keep children out of prison
Spirit_Of_Iona, Unregistered Whilst the object of the exercise is commendable Tagging will do little to ease the concerns of those residents affected by the actions of these children. Tagging is only as good as those who are monitoring it and only useful if the offender wishes to break the cycle of offending.
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