Secure centres for young offenders fined for contract failures

Three privately-run secure training centres have received
financial penalties of more than £1 million
reflecting contract shortcomings, including failure to provide
specified services for 12 to 16-year-old offenders,
writes Clare Jerrom.

The Youth Justice Board, which has contracts with the three
centres withheld payments worth £910,874 from Medway Secure
Training Centre, over £155,000 from Rainsbrook STC in Rugby
and around £74,000 from Hassockfield centre in County
Durham.

The money will be retained in the Youth Justice Board’s
budget and used in other work to help prevent youth offending.

The figures emerged in answer to a parliamentary question where
junior home office minister Hilary Benn outlined the reasons behind
the penalties. “These cover failure to meet the scheduled
opening date of the STC, non-availability of trainee places and
failure to deliver specified services.”
 
A Youth Justice Board spokesperson said it was essential for
financial penalties to be imposed when contractual obligations are
not met by service providers in order to ensure that the high
standards set by the board are upheld.