Concern over child remand numbers

The number of children being held in custody in Jersey is unacceptably high, according to a prison reform charity.
In England and Wales the proportion of those held on remand as opposed to being bailed is about 20% but in Jersey it is about 80%.
The Howard League for Penal Reform reviewed care services for Jersey's young offenders after concerns were raised by a former social worker.
The report is unconnected to a probe into alleged child sexual abuse.
The review recommended raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 and offering alternatives to custody.
These include specialist fostering services and intensive supervision.

Disadvantaged and powerless children in secure accommodation are particularly in need of a system that recognises their vulnerability Andrew Neilson, assistant director of the Howard League

The report also said custody should only be used when it is the only way to protect the public from serious harm.
In those cases, the report states, the child should be placed in a secure children's home.
The review was prompted by concerns raised by Simon Bellwood after he was sacked in May 2007 as manager at the Greenfields secure unit for children.
His concerns about disciplinary procedures at the unit were taken to the then Health and Social Security Minister Stuart Syvret who asked the Howard League to compile a report.
Andrew Neilson, assistant director of the Howard League said: "Disadvantaged and powerless children in secure accommodation are particularly in need of a system that recognises their vulnerability with in-built mechanisms to protect, monitor and represent their concerns." (from BBC News)

Its seems that Jersey have got a big problem with this....

I haven't read the report yet, but I'd like to comment on a couple of issue that spring to mind from what I've heard and read in the media.

First: The idea that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised seems ridiculous. If anything I'd like to see it lowered. Do people really think that while a fourteen year old shouldn't be expected to understand that theft or violence is wrong, just two years later they're responsible enough to hold a vote?

Second: The percentage figure quoted seems high in Jersey obviously, but what are the numbers? We hear of crimewaves being attributed to individuals, what if Jersey is just small enough that the trouble makers are easy to spot and therefore dealt with more effectively? I'd like to see a percentage figure for a similar community rather than England and Wales as a whole, maybe Guernsey or Shetland?

This is the problem, on one hand we are told that people are growing up earlier so should be able to vote and 16 have sex earlier, get married younger etc and on the other hand their criminal responsibility age gets raised, Why?

There are so many cases where kids cause trouble knowing that the police can't really do anything until they reach a certain age.

The police are frustrated as they know their hands are tied and have to wait.

If a kid in a continual re-offender then he/she should be locked away somewhere until they grow up a bit regardless of age, If they are old enough to do a crime over and over again they are old enough to be punished.

Troy McClure wrote:I haven't read the report yet, but I'd like to comment on a couple of issue that spring to mind from what I've heard and read in the media.

First: The idea that the age of criminal responsibility should be raised seems ridiculous. If anything I'd like to see it lowered. Do people really think that while a fourteen year old shouldn't be expected to understand that theft or violence is wrong, just two years later they're responsible enough to hold a vote?

Second: The percentage figure quoted seems high in Jersey obviously, but what are the numbers? We hear of crimewaves being attributed to individuals, what if Jersey is just small enough that the trouble makers are easy to spot and therefore dealt with more effectively? I'd like to see a percentage figure for a similar community rather than England and Wales as a whole, maybe Guernsey or Shetland?

Fully agree with both points raised.