Use of high-security ‘closed visits' in youth custody on the rise
Neil Puffett
Friday, July 17, 2015
The number of times young people in custody are being made to undergo high-security "closed visits" behind glass are on the rise, government statistics have shown.
Figures released in parliament show that during 2013, closed visits were enforced a total of 69 times in young offenders institutions (YOIs), but for 2014 this had risen to 87 times, an increase of 26 per cent.
The figures also show that for the first six months of 2015, there were 66 closed visits, which represents an increase of 69 per cent on the same period in 2014 when there were 39.
Closed visits are usually enforced when there is a suspicion that there is a risk that items such as drugs or weapons might be smuggled.
Speaking in parliament, youth justice minister Andrew Selous said that reasonable physical contact between a prisoner and visitor is usually permitted, but there are circumstances when closed visits are imposed as a “precautionary or preventive measure”.
He said that this can be to secure good order and discipline, or for the prevention of crime.
“Each case must be considered on an individual basis and, where closed visits are imposed, subject to regular review,” he said.
News of the increase in closed visits comes amid ongoing concerns around levels of violence in YOIs.
Last month, prisons inspectors raised concerns about an increase in violent incidents at Wetherby YOI in West Yorkshire.
Inspectors said there were were instances of violent incidents between boys, which included the use of weapons and group attacks.
In January, it emerged that the Youth Justice Board is considering placing police officers in Feltham YOI in an effort to tackle high levels of gang violence.