Latest news with #YOI
BBC News
21 hours ago
- BBC News
Young offenders spend most of their time locked in cells
Most children in young offender institutions (YOIs) spend "most of their time locked alone in their cells", according to an inspection report laid bare the "failure" by the Youth Custody Service to "create environments in which staff and children are able to form positive, appropriate relationships".The findings were based on interviews with children aged 10 to 18, as well as staff, at YOIs in Bridgend in South Wales, Stoke-on-Trent, and the Wetherby and Keppel units in West Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment. Authored by Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor, the report found there was "little that was reliable or consistent about life in [many] YOIs".Campbell Robb, chief executive at social justice charity Nacro, said the report was "more evidence that the environment in our YOIs is profoundly harmful for children, many of whom are already extremely vulnerable".The report found fewer than half of the children in custody felt cared for by staff, while one in three said there was no member of staff they could turn to if they had a problem."This is concerning because staff rely on meaningful, trusting relationships to encourage children to engage with education, health care or offending behaviour programmes, as well as to defuse conflict and violence," it to the report, "there is mounting evidence that relationships between staff and children in custody are a key element in delivering better outcomes".However, children being locked up for most of the day meant "there was very little time for staff to get to know those in their care".As of March, there were 502 young people detained at YOIs in England and Wales."We don't have the power to change a lot and the kids know it," said one YOI staff member. 'Urgent action' At Wetherby YOI, children told inspectors it could take up to 45 minutes to get a response after ringing their cell bell, while most wings did not provide opportunities for exercise, association or time for domestic tasks during the Werrington near Stoke, one child said they had pressed their cell bell five times to get a plastic also said there was "simply no time" to make a positive impact on children's Robb, whose organisation supports people in the criminal justice system, said the report "should prompt the government to take urgent action". "We urge them to ensure that children should only be held in custody as an absolute last resort and to ensure a safe, rehabilitative environment in all YOIs to give young people the best possible chance to change." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
North Wales Live
5 days ago
- North Wales Live
Car ended up like this after dangerous driver tried to flee from police
Dashcam footage has captured the moment a dangerous driver left a stolen car hanging upside down during a bid to escape from police. Hasnain Ahmad and an accomplice were in a blue Skoda which had been taken from a Flintshire auction site. Ahmad later drove the Skoda into Cheshire and onto the M56 motorway before a collision which left the Skoda badly damaged. Ahmad, who was 17 at the time and is now 18, had no licence. He admitted a string of motoring offences - but was not charged with stealing the car himself - and a judge at Mold Crown Court said it was fortunate he hadn't been killed. A judge gave him nine months' detention in a young offenders institute but suspended the term for two years. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Prosecutor Myles Wilson said the Skoda car had been taken from the Queensferry auction site. It was a Skoda Kamiq worth £17,400. It was believed to have been taken by another man. But later on October 22 last year Cheshire Police started following it on the M56 motorway with Ahmad at the wheel. Another man was in a Volvo on false plates driving with him in convoy, said Mr Wilson. Ahmad turned off the motorway at Hapsford then onto a single track road called Hog Lane. As he was being hemmed by a police car Ahmad started to drive away reaching 80mph on the 30mph road as the police car chased him. Police car dashcam footage played in court showed part of a three-minute pursuit. The defendant turned onto an A road - the A56 - speeding and narrowly missing members of the public in Helsby. Eventually, he crashed. Mr Wilson said Ahmad tested positive for cannabis. He had cannabis and a cannabis grinder with him. The judge His Honour Simon Mills branded the driving "horrific". He told defence counsel Euros Jones that if his client had been 18 at the time of the offences he would have gone straight into a young offenders' institute today. The judge said: "This is a really serious piece of dangerous very fortunate in that we still have this young man with us in court to face the music today." He asked Ahmad, of Frobisher Court, Manchester: "What on earth were you doing mixing cannabis with driving a motor vehicle?" He said he had a choice to obey the law in future or risk committing more serious offences with "disastrous" consequences. He gave him the suspended term in a YOI for dangerous driving and an identical, concurrent term for aggravated vehicle taking, both suspended for two years. He must do 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activity. He was disqualified from driving for two years. Then he must take an extended test to get a driving licence. There were no separate penalties for driving with no insurance or without a licence, or possession of cannabis.
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Pepper spray to be used against children in jails as CCTV reveals spiralling violence
Pepper spray will be allowed to be used against children as young as 15 in youth offenders' institutions to curb spiralling violence. Ministers said they have no choice but to roll out PAVA, a synthetic pepper spray, into the youth justice system amid fears a young person will soon lose their life to growing violence. But they are set to face a huge backlash from justice and children's campaigners who have long warned against using such methods against children. PAVA, which temporarily incapacitates its victims, is currently for use in all adult male prisons and by the police. Rates of violence in the youth estate are around 14 times higher than in adult jails. In the last three months of 2024, there were 534 assault incidents in the youth estate, of which 42 were serious. It means the yearly rate of assaults between October and December was 408.5 incidents per 100 children and young people - a 23% increase compared to the same period last year. Governors have warned of young offenders not only turning on staff but turning on each other, with violence including boys stamping on someone's head or stabbing them with a weapon. Boys have been known to use cutlery, screws taken out of furniture, or socks with weighted items in them as weapons. Nottingham attacks inquiry major update as pledge made to victims' families CCTV footage from YOIs, seen by The Mirror, showed one incident where a group of around half a dozen teenage boys turned on another boy, kicking him repeatedly on the ground in a YOI courtyard. An officer tried to throw herself in between the kids after quickly calling for back up, before being pushed out of the circle as the boys continued to kick one of their peers who was trapped in the corner of the courtyard, between a fence and wall. Another clip showed a fight breaking out in a seating area in the accommodation site of a YOI. As the fight erupted, boys from other areas of the area ran over to get involved in the brawl. The violence quickly escalated and a number of staff ended up injured. Speaking about violence in YOIs, a senior youth custody source said: 'The use of force and restraint within a setting responsible for children and young people has a different policy attached to it There's a higher threshold for intervention and use of it. This is a last resort tactic where the risk to life is such that we need to intervene.' The source acknowledged concerns from Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, who has previously warned against 'adding something as drastic as PAVA into the mix". He said PAVA use in the youth estate "risks increasing rather than reducing hostility" and would be "a very worrying step in the wrong direction". The youth justice source said staff were working to improve the system, adding: 'That change is underway but it doesn't happen overnight, and overnight we could have that serious incident that manifests in somebody losing their life. 'That's why we have to take this action. So this is not a panacea solution. This is part of us mitigating the risk whilst making effective change to improve the system overall.' The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said PAVA use in YOIs, which hold boys aged 15-18 years old, is expected to be in place by the summer. It will be rolled out across England's three public sector YOIs, Werrington, Wetherby and Feltham, which hold around 300 boys. Over two-thirds of all young people in YOIs are there for violent offences such as murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm. Officials said PAVA will only be deployed in limited circumstances by specially trained officers where there is serious violence or an imminent risk of it taking place. Its use will be reviewed after a 12-month trial period to address any 'disproportionate use'. The Prison Reform Trust, of which Prisons Minister James Timpson used to be the chairman, has previously warned that PAVA is disproportionately used against Black prisoners in male adult jails. The Howard League for Penal Reform condemned the MoJ's decision and has threatened taking legal action to challenge the PAVA rollout. "When PAVA spray was first piloted in adult male prisons, evaluation of the project found that it did not reduce violence overall, and it was recognised – by staff as well as people living in prison – that the spray's introduction had undermined relationships," the prison reform charity said. "The use of PAVA spray would likely be especially harmful in prisons holding children, where positive relationships are essential to ensure that children are safeguarded and supported." In a written ministerial statement, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "The levels of violence across the Children and Young People's Secure Estate are unacceptable. On a weekly basis there are assaults involving young people in custody. Serious assaults can see these young people use homemade weapons, including stabbing implements, against each other and our staff. Today, levels of violence are higher than in the adult prison estate." On the decision to allow the use of PAVA, she added: "This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but I am clear that this vital measure is needed to urgently prioritise safety in these three YOIs at this present time. I believe that failing to act will place young people in custody and staff at risk of serious harm." Ms Mahmood added that the Youth Custody Service has been asked to develop longer term improvement plans for YOIs. Minister for Youth Justice Sir Nic Dakin said Labour inherited a criminal justice system 'in crisis'. 'The unacceptable levels of violence faced by our brave frontline officers in young offender institutions is yet another symptom of that,' he said. 'This is not a decision we have made lightly, but our overarching duty is to keep staff and young people in custody safe. This spray is a vital tool to prevent serious violence, helping staff focus on rehabilitation.'
Khaleej Times
30-01-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Dubai champions mental well-being on World Meditation Day 2024
Dubai, a global hub for innovation and holistic living, reaffirmed its commitment to mental well-being by hosting a transformative event on World Meditation Day. Held on December 21, 2024, at the prestigious Sheraton Grand Hotel, the event—organised by the Wellness and Wisdom Center LLC — brought together esteemed thought leaders, mental health professionals, and wellness enthusiasts to foster a dynamic conversation on resilience, mindfulness, and holistic health solutions. The highlight of the evening was an advanced resilience training session led by globally renowned mental health innovator, Dr Ishan Shivanand. Emphasising the urgent need for accessible mental resilience tools, Dr Shivanand remarked, "Mental health is a birthright. Addressing mental health challenges has never been more critical. This event serves a higher mission—to make resilience strategies universally accessible while promoting a culture of holistic wellness." Recognising his significant contributions to mental health advocacy in Dubai and the wider UAE, Dr Shivanand was honoured by Dr Subrata Mukherjee, president of the Indian Business Professional Council (IBPC RAK), and Rajashekharan Jambulingam, treasurer of Dubai Renewable Energy Business Group (DREBG). During an interactive session, attendees were introduced to practical, evidence-based tools designed to combat stress and burnout—essential skills in today's fast-paced world. A key discussion revolved around non-pharmaceutical mental health programs, particularly the groundbreaking Yoga of Immortals (YOI) initiative. Supported by extensive research, YOI seamlessly integrates ancient meditative traditions with modern medical insights, demonstrating remarkable improvements in anxiety, depression, and insomnia—enhancing quality of life by 72-82 per cent within just weeks of practice. As mental health continues to be a top global priority, Dubai is leading the charge by fostering initiatives that align with its vision for sustainable well-being. This landmark event was more than just a celebration — it was a powerful call to action, urging individuals and communities to make mental wellness a priority.
