North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly has expressed his concern about a new report into conditions at Hydebank Young Offenders’ Centre, which this week revealed conditions there have deteriorated in the past two years.
Inspectors said conditions were worse than they had been following the last inspection, with juvenile prisoners reportedly spending 20 hours a day locked in their cells and being routinely strip-searched and unnecessarily handcuffed.
Former Republican POW Gerry said if punishment for young offenders had to be jail then conditions needed to be drastically improved.
“As a junior minister I have a special responsibility for children and young people and that is why I am all the more shocked and concerned by the findings of this new report,” said Gerry.
“There is a deep concern that educational and recreational facilities are under-used if young people are locked up for most of the day and I intend to get to the bottom of this.
“This situation is unacceptable and I will be demanding to know every single improvement that was supposedly carried out since the last inspection.
“This is a very vulnerable section of society we are talking about and there is no chance they can come out of Hydebank reformed if they are not given the proper facilities when inside.”
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