Too many children locked up due to absence of accommodation - prison inspectors
Too many children are being kept in police custody cells overnight and detainees are released without assurances on care, transport or money, according to a new report.
The Chief Inspector of Prisons and HM Inspector of Constabulary has published a 50-page dossier on suites in the West Midlands.
The report follows unannounced inspections in February. While finding some progress in conditions for detainees, inspectors were damning over a number of issues, providing a list of 39 recommendations.
These included the keeping of children overnight in cells because appropriate accommodation could not be provided by the local authority.
Inspectors found that out of 384 children charged and refused bail last year, alternative accommodation was requested in 239 cases – but only provided in 22.
West Midlands Police has been urged to work closer with local authorities to avoid children remaining in custody overnight.
The report also found problems over the release of detainees, with no ‘uniform approach’ in place.
The authors concluded: “Most custody records provided little reassurance that risks were routinely addressed, that detainees without money or means of transport were conveyed home safely, or that detainees were provided with the support they needed on release.”
Areas highlighted for improvement seven years ago, including the use of force and safeguarding against suicides, had also not yet been addressed, according to the report.
And out of the total 21 recommendations made from the last report, just five had been achieved.
The latest report was based on an inspection of six custody suites, including Wolverhampton, where there are 19 cells, Oldbury, where there are 60, and Perry Barr, where there are also 60.
It also looked at three contingency suites, including Bloxwich, where there are 20 cells.
In a joint statement, Chief Inspector of Prisons, Peter Clarke, and HM Inspector of Constabulary, Dru Sharpling, said: “The findings from this inspection were mixed.
“Many of the existing strengths remained and there had been clear progress in some areas.
“However, it was disappointing that over a third of the recommendations made at the previous inspection had still not been achieved.”
It comes just a week after an independent report found the killer of 16-year-old Christina Edkins, Philip Simelane, was released from prison without required medical supervision weeks prior to the attack.
“Nevertheless, the force had a clear vision for custody and we were confident that if the strategic impetus was sustained, this would result in further improvement.”
West Midlands Police head of custody, Chief Inspector Eddy Johnston, said: “We’ll take on board the observations and recommendations contained in the report.
“The inspection team identified areas for improvement but also highlighted lots of good work and indeed practices that have been heralded as among the best in UK policing.”
