Locking Children up

The first 200 words of this essay...

Is locking children up a suitable solution or way forward?

'Locking children up' has been a contentious issue for many years, and is something the government is attempting to address through a reduction in the use of custody. December 2009 saw a reduction of 512 from the previous year with 2203 under 18's in custody (Youth Justice Board, 20th February 2010). This reduction has been achieved through the greater use of alternative punishments such as restorative justice and youth rehabilitation orders. However, there is little evidence that offending is being substantially reduced. This essay argues that custodial sentences are not a suitable option for young people, and that alternative punishments should be adopted, with a shift away from incarceration to rehabilitation, in order to reduce reoffending.

The first penal institution built exclusively for young people was established at Parkhurst Prison for boys in 1838 (Muncie et al,2002). During the 1980's there were many different approaches and systems in place to deal with youth offenders, but the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act (CDA) replaced them with a Detention and Training Order (DTO), which came into force in April 2000 (Muncie,2009). The DTO has given the courts power to sentence