N Hazel

Macro and micro patterns in the development of secure custodial institutions for serious and persistent young offenders in England and Wales

During the last two centuries England and Wales have developed what is now referred to as the ‘secure estate for juveniles’: various institutions providing custody for young offenders. Overall (macro) patterns of use of custody have been shown to relate to ideological swings in policy throughout this period. However, alongside this broader policy context, each institution has its own history of development (micro). This article identifies common themes in the rise and fall of custodial institutions. It concludes that focusing solely on macro analysis underestimates the complexities of developing a custodial institution, and disguises lessons from the past.

Promoting shifts in personal narratives and providing structures of support : transitions of incarcerated children in England and Wales

Recidivism rates for children leaving custody in England and Wales have remained stubbornly high, despite intense policy interest and some promising short-term initiatives. In this chapter, it is argued that the major challenge to improved outcomes has been the widespread failure of service providers to adopt lessons from research. This failure, we maintain, has been due to the lack of a conceptual understanding of how resettlement intervention effects positive change in children, leading to confusion as to service aims and what good practice looks like. Based on the existing knowledge base, from a 6-year study entitled, Beyond Youth Custody, it was concluded that effective resettlement should be reconceptualized as personal and practical support, that facilitates a shift in the child’s personal narrative from pro-criminal to pro-social. Five characteristics for practice necessary to promote this shift are identified, which are compared to the Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0.

Resettlement of Young Offenders: Can practice make perfect?

Most evaluations carry both good and bad news for policymakers. One of the most encouraging findings from recent studies of custodial disposals for juveniles has been the positive attitudes of offenders as they leave the institutions to start the second half of their sentences. As they start their statutory period of post-custody supervision, the majority of young people have seemed determined to start afresh, to work with their supervising officer to sort out their offending behaviour and wider problems. The evaluation of the Detention and Training Order (DTO) which covers almost all custodial sentences for under 18s, showed that three-quarters of supervising officers considered their trainees to be more co-operative upon release than before custody (Hazel etal. 2002). Without debating the merits and dangers of custody, this seems to present a unique opportunity for positive intervention with young people who have often been closed to such help for many years.