Children are witnessing extreme violence including stabbings while being unnecessarily held in custody awaiting trial or sentencing, the England and Wales prisons watchdog has found.
One child told inspectors from HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) that he had watched through his window as another child was stabbed and had “found that scary”. The incident occurred in a young offender institution, where levels of violence remain higher than in any adult prison. Another child sent to a young offender institution said: “I was scared, there was a lot of shouting and noise, and the next morning there were lots of people at my door, asking me questions in an intimidating way if you know what I mean.”
The revelations come from a report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons examining the use of custodial remand for children in England and Wales. Between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025, 190 children were remanded to custody before being bailed or moved to local authority accommodation. Of these, 91 – 48 per cent – spent two weeks or less in custody, and 65 – 34 per cent – were held for seven days or fewer. More than half of those remanded for less than a week were placed in young offender institutions.
The hidden toll of short-term custody
Despite the brevity of their time in custody, inspectors found that the experience is profoundly damaging to vulnerable children. Most were in custody for the first time and few received clear information about why they were being held. Many reported feeling confused and frightened. One child, held for a week or less, told inspectors he was scared by the shouting and noise, and that other children approached his door in an intimidating way.
Andrea Coomber, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “Prison is a toxic place for children, and spending even a few days in that environment can be terrifying and profoundly damaging. Although remand should always be a last resort, too many children are being sent there by the courts and being punished for the mistakes of services who ought to be helping them.” She added that the majority of children placed on remand and bailed within seven days or fewer are held in a young offender institution, “where they experience long periods locked behind their doors with very little to do.”
Short spells in custody, of seven days or less, provide little or no access to education or support. Reports from HMIP and the Howard League consistently highlight that children in young offender institutions are typically locked in their cells for around 20 hours a day and receive fewer than 15 hours of education per week, falling short of legal requirements. Inspectors found that in 2023-24 only one young offender institution, Parc, was judged to be safe, and no young offender institutions provided adequate education. Violence and disorder are endemic, with levels higher than in any adult prison.
The children held on short-term remand are among the most vulnerable in society. Many have complex needs, including neurodivergent conditions, previous experience of trauma, and experience of being in local authority care. Black and mixed-background children are over-represented in custodial remand, with black children over four times more likely to be arrested than white children. In 2021-22, 56 per cent of children placed on remand were from Asian, Black, mixed, or other ethnic groups. Data from the Children’s Commissioner for England shows that 83 per cent of children in a Greater Manchester remand pilot were classed as Looked After Children, Child In Need, or had a Child Protection Plan. A significant proportion of children in custody have been in the care system.
The report also highlights systemic failures that contribute to unnecessary detention. Youth justice services, which work with children at risk of offending or who have already offended, are frequently not told when a child has been remanded, hampering their ability to arrange a suitable bail package. In some areas, particularly where fewer children are remanded, inspectors said youth justice services lacked the necessary skills and experience to provide credible alternatives to custody. There is a presumption of bail for children under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, with custodial remand intended as a last resort. Yet the data suggests the system routinely ignores this principle. A report by the Children’s Commissioner for England found that in 2023-24, 441 children who were held in custody awaiting their hearing did not end up receiving a custodial sentence, while a further 168 children had their cases dismissed entirely.
Government vows to cut remand numbers
The findings have been published against a backdrop of government plans for an overhaul of youth justice. Launching a white paper last week, the justice secretary, David Lammy, said he planned to “tackle the drivers of offending so fewer young people become trapped in cycles of crime”. The government has pledged to cut the use of custodial remand for children by 25 per cent by the end of this parliament, backed by £5 million for community alternatives. An additional £15.4 million per year is being invested in the Turnaround programme, which supports children at risk of entering the youth justice system. Plans also include piloting new Youth Intervention Courts that bring together judges, youth justice services, and specialist support agencies to address the underlying causes of offending.
HM chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, said: “While custodial remand is an essential part of any justice system, two out of every five children in custody are now on remand. Well over a half of these children do not go on to receive a custodial sentence. We spoke to professionals – in local authorities, custodial institutions and courts – who agreed that short-term remands were often avoidable, and many had ideas about how the current system could be improved.” A government spokesperson said the Ministry of Justice intended to ensure children awaiting trial or sentencing were not held unless public protection required it.
Despite the commitments, inspectors say the immediate reality for children on short-term remand remains one of fear, isolation, and exposure to violence. As one child described it, being placed in a young offender institution was “scary” – a place where, even for a few days, they witness stabbings and are met with intimidating questions from other children, with no clear explanation of why they are there. Andrea Coomber concluded: “This would never help children to grow and lead productive lives as adults.”
