The chief inspector's report found only two-thirds of children felt officers in young offender institutions (YOI) and secure training centres (STC) treated them with respect, 27 per cent reported being victimised by staff and 43 per cent felt unsafe.
Such conditions are furtive ground for resentment and violence to breed, so it should come as no surprise that a recent inspection of Medway STC found staff used "force and restraint" to deal with "children's passive non-compliance".
Campaigners argue that use of pain-inducing restraint on children is unlawful. A recent serious case review into physical abuse by officers at Medway STC also called for the use of such techniques to be banned in youth custody.
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