According to Home Office figures, the number of 15- to 17-year-olds inprison rose by six per cent over the past year to 2,528; double theincrease of adult inmates.
Chris Stanley, head of youth crime at Nacro, said the problem was thecourts' heavy-handed approach in response to the furore around increasesin crime.
This meant they were locking up young people who breached intensivesupervision and surveillance programmes, given out as an alternative tocustody.
These programmes were frequently given out to young people who had notcommitted the serious offences the schemes were intended for, headded.
- www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/prisaug06.pdf.
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