APPENDIX 2
Further memorandum submitted by the Youth
Justice Board for England and Wales
1. Following the evidence session in December
2002, the Youth Justice Board agreed to provide the Committee
with statistics relating to self inflicted deaths and incidents
of self harm in the juvenile secure estate. Information is provided
below.
SELF INFLICTED
DEATHS
2. There have been 13 self inflicted deaths
of juveniles in Young Offender Institutions since 1998. Information
relating to the self inflicted deaths are set out in the following
table by the establishment in which the death occurred, and where
available, the coroner's verdict, as requested by the Committee.
There have been no self inflicted deaths in Secure Training Centres
since the first centre opened in April 1998. In 1998 there was
a self inflicted death in a Local Authority Secure Unit. This
occurred in Hillside Secure Unit in Wales. A Committee of enquiry
following the incident led to recommendations about both practice
issues and room design being adopted across the secure estate.
INCIDENTS OF
SELF HARM
3. The annual number of recorded incidents
of self harm among juveniles in Prison Service accommodation as
recorded by the Prison Service since 1998 are set out below. Statistics
on recorded incidents of self harm in each Prison Service juvenile
unit since April 2000 are set out in the second attached table.
Recorded incidents of self-harm among juveniles
1998 to 2002
1998 | 252 incidents
|
1999 | 205 incidents
|
2000 | 288 incidents
|
2001 | 402 incidents
|
2002 | 463 incidents*
|
*January to November 2002
|
|
4. The total number of incidents of self harm recorded
in each Secure Training Centre since each centre opened is set
out below. Information on the number of incidents in each centre
in each month since April 2001 is set out in the third attached
table.
Total number of self-harm incidents in Secure Training Centre
Medway STC (opened April
1998)
| 126 incidents |
Hassockfield STC (opened
September 1999)
| 72 incidents |
Rainsbrook STC (opened
July 1999)
| 96 incidents |
| |
5. Self harm statistics have not been routinely collected
for all Local Authority Secure Units. The Youth Justice Board
is currently in discussions with the local units and with the
Social Services Inspectorate about improving mechanisms for data
collection and monitoring. Self-harm report data from a small
selection of the LASUs (five out of 24) for the period from April
2001 to November 2002 reported that three incidents had occurred.
6. Information on self harm is an important factor in
monitoring the juvenile secure estate, however there are limitations
to the conclusions that can be drawn from variations between different
establishments under current recording methods. The Board is aware
that there are significant difficulties in making direct comparisons
between different establishments and type of establishments in
relation to this data. The Board is concerned that there are variations
in recording practices between different institutions. Recording
incidents in practice is reliant on individual assessment and
the approach taken in the particular establishment.
7. Recent research has demonstrated that the current
method for collecting data on self harm in prison service establishments,
using the Incident Reporting System, under-reports the actual
extent of self harm occurring in those establishments. A new process
for recording self harm has been developed by the Prison Service
and evaluation of pilot data has shown this method considerably
improves the reliability of the data. The new method of recording
data was rolled out on 1 December 2002. An exercise is currently
underway with the aim of ensuring there are common methods of
recording self harm incidents across the three Secure Training
Centres. In addition, the Youth Justice Board will be working
with the Social Services Inspectorate to ensure that common definitions
and methods of recording incidents are agreed with all Secure
Children's Homes.
8. Levels of self harm will vary depending on the type
and size of establishment and the nature of the young people held.
Information in relation to Secure Training Centres should take
into account that it is the policy of the Board to seek to place
young people assessed as vulnerable in the centres rather than
Prison Service establishments. The likelihood of self harm is
one factor used in assessing vulnerability.
9. In the light of the recent Joint Inspectorates Report,
"Safeguarding Children" and the judgement by Mr Justice
Munby on the Howard League application regarding the applicability
of the Children Act 1989 to children in YOIs, the Board is undertaking
joint work with the Department of Health, the Prison Service and
Association of Directors of Social Services on strengthening children's
safeguarding arrangements in YOIs, including arrangements for
addressing self harm and suicide.
Self-Inflicted Deaths among Juveniles (under 18 years)
by Establishment and Verdict, 1998 to 2002
| 1998 SuicideAccidental
| 1999 SuicideKilled self whilst mind unbalanced
| 2000 SuicideMisadventure |
2001 AccidentalPending | 2002
Pending
| Total 1998- 2002 |
| Brinsford | |
| | | 1 |
| 1 | | | 2
|
| Doncaster | 1 |
| | | |
| | | | 1
|
| Feltham | | |
| | 1 |
| | 1 | | 2
|
| Glen
Parva | 1 |
| | | |
| | | | 1
|
| Hindley | | 1
| | 1 | |
| | | | 2
|
| Parc | | |
| | |
| | | 1 | 1
|
| Stoke Heath | |
| | | |
| | | 1 | 1
|
| Wetherby | |
| 1 | | | 1
| | 1 | | 3
|
| Total | 2 | 1 |
1 | 1 | 2 | 1
| 1 | 2 | 2 |
13 |
| | |
| | | |
| | | |
Incidents of Self Harm April 2000 to November 2002
| 2000a | 2001
| 2002b | Total
|
| Ashfield | 82 | 108
| 151 | 341 |
| Brinsford | 3 | 8
| 26 | 37 |
| Castington | 32 | 54
| 59 | 145 |
| Feltham | 4 | 12
| 14 | 30 |
| Hindley | | 1
| 14 | 15 |
| Huntercombe | 5 | 4
| 4 | 13 |
| Lancaster Farms | 5 | 7
| 5 | 17 |
| Onley | 1 | 20
| 66 | 87 |
| Parc | 11 |
| 3 | 14 |
| Stoke Heath | 11 | 13
| | 24 |
| Warren Hill | 1 | 10
| 4 | 15 |
| Werrington | 1 | 1
| 1 | 3 |
| Wetherby | 6 | 19
| 5 | 30 |
| Total selected | 162 | 257
| 352 | 771 |
| All other juvenile incidents | 92
| 145 | 111 | 348
|
| Total all | 254 | 402
| 463 | 119 |
a From 1st April only.
b Up to 30th November only.
| | | |
|
Number of Self Harm Incidents in Secure Training Centres
April 2001 to December 2002
| Apr. | May
| June | July |
Aug. | Sep. | Oct.
| Nov. | Dec. |
Jan. | Feb. | Mar.
| Apr. | May |
June | July | Aug.
| Sep. | Oct. |
Nov. | Dec. |
| Medway | 5 | 6
| 3 | 2 | 7 |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2
| 3 | 1 | 0 |
3 | 2 | 2 | 3
| 3 | 1 | 3 |
8 | 11 |
| Hassockfield | 0 | 0
| 0 | 2 | 10 |
1 | 2 | 1 | 1
| 1 | 0 | 1 |
1 | 2 | 2 | 0
| 2 | 1 | 4 |
1 | 3 |
| Rainsbrook | 0 | 0
| 0 | 1 | 0 |
4 | 0 | 0 | 3
| 1 | 2 | 1 |
8 | 0 | 3 | 3
| 3 | 3 | 4 |
2 | 5 |
| Average | 2 | 2
| 1 | 2 | 6 |
3 | 2 | 0 | 2
| 2 | 1 | 1 |
4 | 1 | 2 | 2
| 3 | 2 | 4 |
4 | 6 |
| Total | 5 | 6 |
3 | 5 | 17 | 10
| 5 | 1 | 6 |
5 | 3 | 2 | 12
| 4 | 7 | 6 |
8 | 5 | 11 | 11
| 19 |
January 2003
|
| | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |
| 
