Prisons to become ‘secure colleges'

The youth secure estate is braced for an overhaul that is designed to place education at the heart of custody for all young people.

The Ministry of Justice green paper, Transforming Youth Custody, proposes replacing the current custodial estate with a number of “secure colleges”, putting an overwhelming emphasis on education to reduce reoffending and boost young offenders’ chances of forging a successful life on release from custody.

The proposals could spell the end of the current regime of young offender institutions, secure children’s homes and secure training centres, although ministers have vowed to maintain specialist provision for the most vulnerable children.

Learning regimes will focus on key literacy and numeracy skills as well as vocational workshops, with providers such as academy chains or free schools being paid for supporting young people on a payment-by-results basis.

Central to the plans are improved links with voluntary and public sector agencies in the community, such as mental health and substance misuse services. Resettlement support will also be a heightened priority, with open residential facilities based at secure colleges proposed as a way of offering young people the support and environment they need to succeed on leaving custody.

Despite broadly welcoming the plans, the Standing Committee for Youth Justice (SCYJ), which represents more than 30 charities, warns that education and training alone will not automatically reduce reoffending rates. “For that to happen, prisons need to meet all the needs of the teenagers they look after, including mental health and welfare,” says SCYJ chair Penelope Gibbs.

Debbie Jones, president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), says equal emphasis must be placed on custodial and community work with young offenders for the concept of secure colleges to be successful.

“Any changes to the current