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Crime Solicitors

Glen Parva YOI slammed by HM Inspectorate as “unsafe and violent” (7 August 2014)

Date: 07/08/2014
Duncan Lewis, Crime Solicitors, Glen Parva YOI slammed by HM Inspectorate as “unsafe and violent”

Glen Parva Young Offenders Institute (YOI) in Leicestershire has been severely criticised in a report, after HM Inspectorate made an unannounced visit to the YOI in April.

Glen Parva YOI is the proposed site for the Ministry of Justice’s secure college for young offenders – but the report from HM Inspectorate criticised operating methods at Glen Parva as “unsafe” and slammed it for a culture of intimidation and violence among youngsters being held there.

The report said the YOI was an “ineffective” model of custody.

The inspectors found that levels of assault had increased since 2012 – and there was also evidence that violent incidents at Glen Parva YOI were underreported.

Some of the young adults held at Glen Parva YOI said they misbehaved deliberately so they would be placed in the segregation unit, which they felt was safer.

More inmates than usual were also subjected to anti-bullying orders.

Extortion among inmates was also found – and incidents of violent protest and prisoner unrest were not uncommon, including hostage taking, rooftop protests by prisoners and prisoners erecting barricades.

The inspectors found that prisoners at Glen Parva were locked in their cells more than usual – and cleanliness at the YOI fell below acceptable standards for cells.

After the inspection in April this year, one inmate at Glen Parva YOI committed suicide – and self-harming was found to be in evidence at higher than usual rates for YOIs.

Glen Parva YOI houses 659 young offenders – half said they felt unsafe at some time during their stay and one-fifth said they felt unsafe at the time the inspectors visited.

Chief Inspector of Prisons, Nick Hardwick said there was a direct link “between the high levels of bullying and levels of self-harm”.

“The number of assessment, care in custody and teamwork case management documents opened for prisoners at risk of suicide or self-harm had increased by 32 per cent over the last year and was high,” he added.

Mr Hardwick said that Glen Parva YOI had itself identified that many of the self-harm threats “were a direct result of bullying”.

Staff working at Glen Parva were also criticised – inmates were called by their surnames and staff had low expectations of their behaviour, the inspectors found.

Many staff were found to be “too accepting” of poor behaviour by prisoners at Glen Parva.

The inspectors have also recommended that education and teaching standards at Glen Parva should be improved.

A new management team’s efforts had resulted in “early signs of improvements”, said the inspectors.

Duncan Lewis Crime Solicitors – Young Offenders

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