UK group to look at care of Island’s young offenders

By Ben Quérée
Published 1/3/2008

A UK penal reform group will begin a review of the care of young offenders following the publication of the Williamson report.

The Howard League for Penal Reform is planning to visit Jersey on 31 March and 1 April to conduct their inquiry into ‘policies and procedures to safeguard the welfare and well-being of children in the penal system in Jersey’.

Andrew Williamson, the former director of Devon’s social services department, is due to report on current policies and practices in child care shortly before their visit.

The Howard League is the oldest penal reform society in the world and is an influential campaign group with support on both sides of the House of Commons.

Its members were invited to carry out a review in the Island by former Health Minister Stuart Syvret before he was sacked from the post by the States.

In a letter to current Health Minister Ben Shenton, the league says that it has no intention of interfering with the ongoing investigations at Haut de la Garenne.

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