Susannah Hancock to lead independent review into girls in custody
The government has appointed Susannah Hancock to lead an independent review into girls in custody.
The review will examine the experiences of girls in the youth justice system, and make recommendations on how to improve their outcomes.
It will look at a range of issues, including:
- the reasons why girls are entering custody
- the conditions in which they are held
- the support they receive while in custody
- the impact of custody on their lives
The review will be independent of government, and will report its findings to the Secretary of State for Justice.
Susannah Hancock is a barrister and human rights lawyer. She has extensive experience of working with children and young people in the criminal justice system. She is currently the Chair of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.
The Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, said:
“I am pleased to appoint Susannah Hancock to lead this important review. She has a wealth of experience in this area, and I am confident that she will produce a report that will help us to improve the outcomes for girls in custody.”
The review is expected to report its findings in 2025.
Additional information
The number of girls in custody in England and Wales has fallen significantly in recent years. In 2010, there were over 500 girls in custody. By 2022, this number had fallen to just over 200.
However, girls still make up a disproportionate number of young people in custody. In 2022, girls accounted for 13% of all young people in custody, despite making up only 5% of the youth population.
Girls in custody are more likely to have experienced trauma and abuse than boys. They are also more likely to have mental health problems.
The conditions in which girls are held in custody have been criticized by human rights organizations. In 2020, the Children’s Commissioner for England found that girls in custody were being held in “squalid and overcrowded” conditions.
The government has said that it is committed to improving the outcomes for girls in custody. In 2021, it announced a £3 million investment in new support services for girls in custody.
The independent review into girls in custody is part of the government’s wider commitment to reforming the youth justice system. The government has said that it wants to create a system that is “fair, effective and compassionate”.
Susannah Hancock to lead independent review into girls in custody
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