Assembly Committee recommends devolving the juvenile secure estate

25 February 2010

Youth offender institutes and secure children’s homes should be the responsibility of the Welsh Government, according to a new report.

The Communities and Culture Committee for the National Assembly for Wales has completed its ten-month inquiry and made 28 recommendations to help improve the youth justice system.

One of the key findings was that the Welsh Government’s rights-based agenda being delivered for children in Wales was considered by witnesses to be considerably more developed than the agenda delivered by counterparts in Whitehall.

Another recommendation was to challenge the public perception of young offenders and dispel the ‘hoodie’ stereotype. The Committee concluded that children and young people were often demonised unfairly.

Evidence presented to the committee demonstrated that in many cases, young offenders had been victims of physical and sexual abuse, been lured into drug misuse or had spent time in the care of social services because of problems at home.

Chair of the Committee Sandy Mewies AM said: “The Committee doesn’t believe Wales should become a soft touch for young offenders, but it does realise they are children first and offenders second.

“The evidence we have heard offers a compelling case for devolving the juvenile secure estate as this will give the Welsh Government the power to affect change and tailor its structure more to the needs of Wales.

“We must ensure that not only are offenders seen to be punished for their crimes but there is a clear and robust process for them to be integrated back into society with prospects for the future and no desire to re-offend.”

Other recommendations within the report include:

- The Welsh Government consider further improvements with support agencies to identify young people at risk of offending.

- Review the use of custody and ensure it is only used in appropriate circumstances in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Child.

- Review availability and suitability of bail accommodation for children and young people in Wales.

- Consider the potential implications of raising the criminal age of responsibility.

- Working with local authorities, employment organisations and third sector bodies to increase employment potential for those leaving custody.