REF: PR/15/05
DATE: 11th October 2005
To: ALL POLITICAL
ALL INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENTS
PRESS RELEASE
NO EMBARGO
POA - The Criminal Justice Trade Union
Warns of Loss of Control in the Juvenile Prison Estate
The POA have written a damning letter to Phil Wheatley, the Director General of the Prison Service condemning the current liberal policy of treating convicted juvenile prisoners' as children and warning that unless urgent action is taken the juvenile estate that houses those committed by the courts aged between 15 to 18 will produce a new generation of hardened adult criminal. The recent serious riots at HMP/YOI Hindley will be commonplace in coming months if the Prison Service does not stand by the POA in reasserting the appropriate authority.
National Vice Chairman Steve Gough stated,
"The POA are appalled by the dangerous conditions juvenile prisoners are kept in and the lack of authority that is prevalent in the estate. Staff have been attacked for that long they now have little self confidence and morale remaining".
He went on to warn the Director General that,
"POA members within the juvenile estate have had their dignity systematically stripped from them by managers terrified of rocking the liberal boat and an employer pandering and nurturing to radical dangerous ideologies".
The POA have formally asked for a full independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the concerted indiscipline at HMP/YOI Hindley. It is wholly inappropriate in light of the recent riots that the Prison Service self investigate questions of possible senior management culpability and possible deliberate endangerment of life security and health and safety.
END.
For further information contact:
POA Press Office: 020 8803 0255 Option 7
< Back
