"The worst thing about being in here is not having your freedom - not being able to do what you want to do, when you want. But I guess you can't do that in life anyway." Simon, 15, has been in East Moor Secure Children's Home near Leeds for six months for burglary, with three more to go.
From his room, bedecked with pictures of fast cars, there's a view of a small coppice of trees and a 15ft green security fence. He has a television, a PlayStation, magazines and a neat array of basic toiletries.
Simon feels safe in East Moor, but is scared of being sent to a young offenders institution (YOI). In fact, a survey of young people in Huntercombe YOI found that half had felt unsafe at some stage and a quarter had been hit, kicked or assaulted by a fellow inmate. However, Simon believes staff should be allowed to physically restrain young inmates like himself and, for the first time in his life, he actually likes school.
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