Treatment not prison for our young people
21/05/2008
YoungMinds, the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity believes locking up young people with mental health problems is an indictment on society, criminalising young people when what they need is treatment.
Today’s research from Kings College, London reveals that after 10 years of youth justice reform costing £2.9billion, resources have been ploughed into providing custody places for children ensuring that England and Wales have the highest number of children in prison in Western Europe. This has resulted in prevention schemes, treatment and early intervention programmes which tackle the causes of crime to fall off the agenda.
95% of young offenders have mental health problems , yet the research shows that youth offending teams have failed to meet any of their targets to improve the availability of children and adolescent mental health services. YoungMinds urges the government to invest in tackling the causes of youth crime such as mental health.
Sarah Brennan, Chief Executive of YoungMinds, said: “ Locking children up is not the answer to youth crime. Young people especially those with mental health problems need to be provided with the right assistance to ensure they get better.
“Whilst there has been some investment in mental health services in the youth justice system, there needs to be support for parents and their children from the whole spectrum of children’s services. When a child does enter the youth justice system, all staff need be trained and aware of mental health problems to help recovery and reduce offending in the long term. A recent report from the Healthcare Commission and HM Inspectorate of Probation shows that out of sample of 50 youth offending teams one third did not have a mental health worker.
In a YoungMinds report for the Prison Health Service, a governor said: ”Almost every adult they’ve met has let them down, then we lock them up, so we have to work hard to establish relationships.”
Key statistics
(Mental Health Needs and Provision: Youth Justice Board,2005)
- 1 in 5 sentenced males and 2 in 3 of sentenced females have symptoms of anxiety, depression and fatigue and/or concentration problems.
- 1 in 10 young men remanded in custody have considered suicide within the last week.
- 1 in 5 young men have attempted suicide some time in the past.
For immediate release: 21st May 2008
Ends
Notes to editors
- YoungMinds is the UK's leading children's mental health charity committed to improving the mental health and emotional well-being of children and young people by ensuring mental health is placed firmly on the public and political agenda. For further information visit www.youngminds.org.uk
- Sarah Brennan is available for interview
- For further information on the press release please contact Hannah Smith on 0207 336 1451 or email Hannah.smith@youngminds.org.uk
- YoungMinds Parents Information Service receives over 4,000 calls a year from parents, carers and professionals concerned about the mental health of a child.
- For more information contact the YoungMinds press team on 020 7336 1451 or ympress@youngminds.org.uk
- YoungMinds Magazine is the leading publication for everyone with an
- interest in child and adolescent mental health. Subscribe now by phoning 0870 870 1721. To advertise your product, event or service in YoungMinds Magazine, email susan.delgado@youngminds.org.uk
