Truss: MoJ 'needs time to think' on youth justice reforms
Neil Puffett
Thursday, September 8, 2016
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) requires "time to think" about wide-ranging proposals to reform the youth justice system, Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss has said amid claims that plans to create a network of secure schools could be scrapped.
Appearing before the justice select committee Truss said that both she and youth justice minister Philip Lee have met with Charlie Taylor, the man in charge of a government review of the youth justice system, since their appointments over the summer.
The Taylor review had been due for publication in July, but has been delayed.
Asked by Labour MP David Hanson when the review would be published, Truss did not give a firm date.
"What we are planning to do is respond to that with concrete proposals later on this autumn, but we need, clearly, time to think," she said.
She added that despite the delayed publication of the final recommendations of the review, there is still work under way to improve youth custody, which has been plagued in recent times with concerns around levels of violence within young offender institutions and allegations of mistreatment of young people held at Medway Secure Training Centre.
"There are some very difficult issues, as I'm sure the committee is aware, in the youth estate," Truss said.
"We are taking immediate action - we are not waiting to respond to the Charlie Taylor review.
"We need to get it right and there are some major reforms that need to be looked at in response to the Charlie Taylor review."
Speaking in February, then Prime Minister David Cameron endorsed proposals in Taylor's interim report to turn existing young offender institutions into "secure schools".
However CYP Now understands that the MoJ may be preparing to shelve the plans.
A senior figure within the youth justice sector said: "The Taylor report is being rewritten so that it will no longer focus on secure schools."
Speaking in July, Charlie Taylor said he wanted to introduce secure schools with around 60 to 80 places that are "much closer" to the communities they are based in.
Based on the current youth custody population of around 900, this would mean that there could be between 10 and 15 "secure schools" across England and Wales if the recommendation is pursued by government.
Taylor has also said he wants to see greater integration between youth justice and social care services.
The MoJ has been contacted for comment.
