Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Dr. Vis
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times handcuffs were used on children of each age, ethnicity and sex in each secure training centre in each month since January 2008.

Mr. Hanson
Between January and December 2008 (the latest data available), handcuffs were used in secure training centres on eight occasions, as shown in the following table.

YJB guidance to all secure training centres (STCs) is that handcuffs should only be used in exceptional circumstances, as set out in the contracts.

Any use of handcuffs must be approved by the director of the establishment. In 2008, handcuffs were used on only eight occasions: that represents a reduction of over 80 per cent. since 2006.

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|                                                                     |March|June|July|October|December|
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|Hassockfield                                                         |—    |—   |—   |—      |—       |
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|14, white, male                                                      |—    |1   |—   |—      |1       |
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|14, other, male                                                      |—    |1   |—   |—      |—       |
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|15, black, male                                                      |2    |—   |—   |—      |—       |
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|15, other, male                                                      |—    |—   |—   |2      |—       |
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|Oakhill                                                              |—    |—   |—   |—      |—       |
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|14, white, male                                                      |—    |—   |1   |—      |—       |
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|Source:This information has been provided by the Youth Justice Board.|     |    |    |       |        |
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