A change of focus in the way work is carried out with young offenders is one of three recommendations in a report by England’s children’s commissioner on the emotional and mental health of young people in the youth justice system.

The problem that the report looks at is one which is commonly cited. This is that children in need are often divided into categories in a way that obscures what they have in common. There those in need of protection cases, those whose families which have disintegrated, asylum seekers, the behaviourally disordered, young offenders and so on. While each “case” has some features peculiar to itself and presents a pressing need, there are also many common experiences and characteristics. For example, the adolescent offender might have been abused and neglected as a child, the asylum seeker might arrive traumatised, and the child who feels unloved could be clinically depressed.

This clustering comes to a head with young offenders, especially those admitted to custody. The immediate reason for their situation is obviously the crime they have committed and for this they are unlikely to evoke much public sympathy. But all studies of persistent and serious young offenders uncover psychological and social problems which are unlikely to be resolved by locking them up with those who have similar problems.

Compared with the general population, for instance, they show much higher rates for rates for family breakdown, homelessness, stays in care, loss and bereavement, academic under-achievement, literacy and numeracy deficits, speech and language problems, learning difficulties, conduct disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, psychotic like symptoms, ADHD, self-harm and suicide; rates that are significantly greater for those in custody. Staff in young offenders’ institutions probably seek their best for their charges but what can they do in the face of such adversity, particularly as their public image is less than attractive?

In terms of prevention these young people are “failures” as most will have been through a sequence of more benign attempts to help them. A frequent belief is that it’s too late - the damage is done.

But while these individuals are undoubtedly at high risk of almost everything that is bad - further incarceration, poverty, mental illness, broken relationships – is prevention meaningless in this context?

A concept useful in considering options in this gloomy situation is “status deterioration” and that is preventable, even at this late stage. Some individuals might turn their lives around by their own efforts or good fortune but for the majority, professional help is needed to stop things getting worse.

The children’s commissioner says that, first, there needs to be a change to administration, although, on its own, this would be unlikely to make much difference but lay a foundation for more effective practice. Thus, there needs to be better screening, liaison between services and more sensitive procedures in delicate areas, such as strip-searching, will help create a more auspicious ambience.

Changing the focus of work, says the commissioner’s report, should produce more benefits. This means, first, defining children by their needs and vulnerability rather than their criminality. There needs to be also a shift to risk reduction rather than risk management, while reducing myths and stereotypes that prevail across services. Relationships between staff and young people, as well as different agencies should be developed and there should be more transparency to complement physical controls and responses to challenging behaviour. Last more attention needs to be paid to young people’s emotional well-being as opposed to responding to specific mental health problems.

The third recommendation is an expansion of support services, which is predictable from this evidence and relies on adopting the holistic perspective already applied to care leavers under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.

The thinking behind the Commissioner’s inquiry is summed up by the report: “There is evidence of inconsistency and wide variation in the understanding of the impact of previous experiences, including abuse and care experiences on the young person’s emotional well-being and mental health, by custodial and care staff.”

Reference:
Sue Berelowitz, Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health of Children and Young People in the Youth Justice System, Office of the Children’s Commission, June 2011, www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk