End Child Imprisonment

New Socialist, 2019

A call for the abolition of prisons for children and young people in England and Wales.

The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 2017

Commencing with a brief historical overview of detention of children in South Africa, and legislative attempts to curb its use, this article reviews all forms of deprivation of liberty under the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 and attempts to assess at a practical level whether - or not - progress is being made in the quest for the minimal use of deprivation of liberty.

European Journal of Education, 2018

2016

The International Journal of Children’s Rights

Measures taken by governments to address covid-19 in prisons, have impacted significantly on the lives and rights of children. There has been consequential interference with children’s rights to family life and to contact with a parent from whom they have been separated. Since the onset of the pandemic, prisoners in many jurisdictions have lived under restricted regimes with almost universal bans on family visits. Children have not had face-to-face contact with their imprisoned parents, and alternate forms of contact have not always been available to them. Using survey and interview data collected during lockdowns in the UK and Australia, we consider the implications of the interference with the rights of children with an imprisoned parent. Focusing on their relationships, health and wellbeing and using the concept of symbiotic harms, we note how children’s experiences of the cessation of contact interacted with parents’ and caregivers’ experiences, amplifying the harms to children.

Criminal Justice Matters, 2002

In their interviews with children, Richard Sparks, Evi Girling and Marion Smith revealed some commonly held notions about punishment.

Children and Youth Services Review, 2017

Introduction: The health effects for children with incarcerated parents, and methods to improve children's experience of the justice system, are under-researched areas. While some work has been done to illuminate these concerns, practical implementation of a "child-friendly prison" has been slow. Aims: A Health Directorate-funded project examining children's interactions with the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) justice system was conducted in 2013, which made a number of recommendations. The current study sought to examine the ongoing impacts of parental incarceration for children in the ACT and follow up on the recommendations. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven key stakeholders with a relationship to the research area. The interviews were summarised, and a thematic analysis was carried out to identify relevant ideas. Results from recent Detainee Health and Welfare Surveys were used to estimate the number of children affected. Results: The findings from the interviews concluded that little action was taken in response to the original report, that children's rights and agency were compromised, that the prison lacked accessibility, that consistent and individualised information should be provided to affected children, and that a previously operational homework program should be reinstated. Model facilities were identified. Conclusion: Three broadly-applicable recommendations were made in response to the data from the surveys: increasing accessibility of public transport, the establishment of a child liaison officer at prisons, and maintaining extended family visits.