Despite the most recent British Crime Survey, in October, showing that youth crime is falling, the number of young people being locked up has rarely been higher.
This crisis last week prompted Morgan to join Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons, and Sir Al Aynsley-Green, children's commissioner for England, at Feltham Young Offender Institution to emphasise that the system is full to overflowing (YPN, 25-31 October, p2).
There are 3,308 juveniles in custody, with just 52 spare beds available. The Youth Justice Board aims to place young people in custody within 50 miles of their homes but, at present, the custody crisis means it is only able to do so in 65 per cent of cases.
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