Young prisoners 'spending 22 hours a day in cells' due to pandemic, charities warn

A briefing by the Howard League for Penal Reform said that “many young adults”, aged 21 and under currently in custody in adult prisons, had reported spending just two hours a day out of their cells while five had said they were no longer allowed to make phone calls due to social distancing measures.

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The Howard League also raised concerns over the mental health of young people who were no longer receiving support combined with the added impact of worrying about their own health and that of their families.

The briefing states: “Long hours in their cells with nothing to do is affecting young adults’ mental health, particularly those with pre-existing conditions.

“As support services have withdrawn, most are not receiving mental health support or therapies.”

One young adult told the charity: “You are 23 hours in your cell with all your mental health issues and I have depression and when you are by yourself you think of stuff and it hits you.” 

Another said: “Mainly I am worried about my family – you never know if they will catch it and I don’t want to be in prison, hearing my mum is ill and I can’t do anything about it.”

Others raised concerns over a lack of personal protective equipment being worn by prison staff while some said they had not been provided with basics such as hand sanitiser.

“One young adult described seeing five or six staff members in an office that only two members should fit in at any time,” the report states.

The briefing also highlights a lack of education of young adults in prison during the pandemic.

It states: “Young adults are not getting face-to-face activities or education. Some young adults report having workbooks passed under their cell door but many describe the workbooks as distraction materials consisting of word searches or puzzles rather than formal education.”

The Prisons Education Trust has also called for education to be reinstated in young offenders institutions (YOIs).

Research by the trust shows that children and teenagers in such provision are spending longer periods in their cells due to the pandemic.

A review of the use of solitary confinement for children by the Separation Taskforce chaired by Sir Alan Wood, published earlier this month, said the separation of children was a symptom of wider failings within the youth custodial estate.

The latest report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons shows that 58 per cent of children in custody had experienced solitary confinement. 

Rod Clark, chief executive of Prisoners’ Education Trust, said: “Hundreds of imprisoned children are currently experiencing separation conditions due to the Covid-19 crisis. These children have already lost three months of taught education and have no access to online alternatives.

“Isolating children negatively affects wellbeing and creates trauma. Removing children from education disrupts progress and attainment and has a significant impact on future life chances.

“Children need to learn in safe, engaging, pro-social spaces, and to have face-to-face contact with teachers and peers.

“In the short term, we call on the Youth Custody Service to facilitate out-of-cell education for children swiftly and safely. It has been possible to facilitate this in one YOI and therefore it is possible in others.

“Longer term, we ask the Youth Custody Service to end the current practice of solitary confinement for children, with its damaging consequences for education and wellbeing.”