Youth custody units ‘must be smaller' to tackle violence

The call from the Prison Reform Trust comes after a study claimed that introducing smaller, local units for young offenders would reduce levels of violence.

The research, conducted by Nottingham University into Glen Parva young offender institution (YOI) in Leicester, concluded that levels of violence were too high.

It highlighted the fact that gang violence is a problem within the establishment, because the YOI draws inmates from two cities – Leicester and Nottingham.

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said a review of the youth secure estate announced by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling last month offers the opportunity to address the issue.

“Herding together high numbers of challenging and often vulnerable young men into large, bleak, understaffed institutions inevitably leads to violence, gang-related activity, and self-harm,” she said.

“In reviewing the secure estate, it is important first to build on the success of reducing child prison numbers and then to focus on providing smaller, closer-to-home establishments, with qualified staff and better outcomes.”

Dr Richard Simper, who led the research and is an adviser to the Home Office, said that rival young offenders should be separated in a bid to decrease inter-gang violence in Glen Parva.

He called for a new secure facility to be built in the region, adding that similar problems with gang conflict have been experienced among rival London gang members at YOIs in the South East.

“If you look at the map of prisons, there are no other local YOIs for males in the East Midlands,” Simper said. “I believe, given the size of Glen Parva, it could be an ideal time to build a new YOI in the East Midlands to reduce the assaults due to males in-fighting.”