Children to no longer be sent to young offender institutions

Scottish ministers have revealed proposals to introduce “care-based alternatives to custody for 16 and 17-year-olds”. The change aims to “shift the approach from one of punishment to one of love and support”.

The government said that the deprivation of a child’s liberty should take place in an environment that is “child-friendly and rights-respecting with trauma-informed staff”.

Earlier this month Scotland’s chief inspector of prisons said under-18s should not be sent to jail.

Wendy Sinclair Gieben said that sending children to young offenders’ prison – especially on remand – breached their human rights.

“We have to change the perception that people under 18 have to go to prison because their crimes are so offensive,” she said.

“In reality, the secure care system manages people with violent challenging behaviour extremely well and we need to allow them to do it.”

She acknowledged, however, that some under-18s had committed the most serious crimes.