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Prisons - in brief (13)

01 October 2007

UK: Report on poorly designed HMYOI Brinsford: The Prisons Inspectorate found Brinsford Young Offenders Institution to be poorly designed, with the site split awkwardly into juvenile and young adult facilities. Neither site was built with sufficient activity places to occupy the difficult and challenging young people held. Brinsford was still not sufficiently safe. Safeguarding was not well co-ordinated and child protection, anti-bullying and self-harm prevention had all improved. However, there was over-use of strip clothing for those at risk of self-harm. Juveniles were strip-searched on arrival. Use of force and adjudication levels remained high. There was no clear strategy to manage vulnerable young people, who, as a result, were dotted around the prison in a variety of locations. The quality of the juvenile accommodation had deteriorated. Access to showers and phones remained poor. There was no personal officer scheme in place. There was no effective race relations structure and the racial incidents complaint box had not been emptied for four years. There had been a deterioration in support arrangements for foreign nationals, despite an increase in their numbers. The quality of purposeful activity remained poor-particularly for young adults. Many young people had no form of custody planning. The needs of young people facing indeterminate or life sentences were poorly addressed. "Report of an unannounced full follow-up inspection of HMYOI Brinsford, 5-9 February 2007" HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (2007)

http;//inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspect_reports/hmp-yoi-inspections.html/Brinsford.pdf?view=binary