Figures released in parliament show that during 2013, closed visits were enforced a total of 69 times in young offenders institutions (YOIs), but for 2014 this had risen to 87 times, an increase of 26 per cent.
The figures also show that for the first six months of 2015, there were 66 closed visits, which represents an increase of 69 per cent on the same period in 2014 when there were 39.
Closed visits are usually enforced when there is a suspicion that there is a risk that items such as drugs or weapons might be smuggled.
Speaking in parliament, youth justice minister Andrew Selous said that reasonable physical contact between a prisoner and visitor is usually permitted, but there are circumstances when closed visits are imposed as a “precautionary or preventive measure”.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
