Custody damages young offenders' sexual development, study finds

A briefing paper from the Howard League for Penal Reform’s Commission on Sex in Prison found the UK’s single-sex, multi-inmate, low staff ratio youth custody system is beset with high levels of violence that lead to the development of sexual aggression.

The commission found young people in custody struggled to develop a healthy sexual identity as normal sexual experimentation was frowned upon in prison. This heightened feelings of guilt and shame, particularly for boys in prison, which can lead to an increased risk of sexual offending.

Homophobia was also common with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people punished for developing relationships and left feeling isolated and vulnerable to bullying.

Among figures cited by the commission were those published by the Youth Justice Board that show five per cent of children in custody have been convicted of sexual offences.

The report also highlights inconsistencies in support for young offenders convicted of sexual offences. While their support programmes focused on the skills needed to develop relationships and intimacy “when these children returned to the prison wing, however, intimacy and relationship skills were not permitted by the prison regime”.

It echoes concerns raised last year by deputy children's commissioner for England Sue Berelowitz, who criticised the lack of therapeutic work taking place in youth custody with boys convicted of sexual offences.

The briefing paper adds further weight to the Howard League’s concerns over plans to create large, secure colleges that will accommodate more than 300 young offenders.

The Howard League says where custody is unavoidable small units with high staff ratios and a therapeutic focus should be used.

Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League, said: “The evidence from this independent and expert commission shows that sentencing boys to prison damages the individual children and could store up long-term harm for society by creating future victims.

“We know that prisons holding children are hotbeds of violence. We now know that they impair healthy sexual development. There is only one clear lesson – no child should be held in a prison.”

The commission’s chair Chris Sheffield added: “These initial findings raise serious issues. It is a matter of deep concern if there is an increased risk of sex offences occurring as some of the studies have indicated.”