To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many 15 year old offenders were detained on the secure estate at a location more than 50 miles from their home address at any time in each of the last five years. (266175)

The Youth Justice Board (YJB) places young offenders according to various factors including distance from home, age, gender and suitability of establishments to deliver the offender’s sentence plan. On 20 February 2009 the average distance from home for a 15-year-old was 45.2 miles. The data collection system cannot discount double counting where young offenders during that period have been remanded, sentenced or moved to other establishments within the estate. Therefore, the following table provides a snap shot of the number of young offenders held in custody more than 50 miles from home on 30 June 2004-08.