Does anyone know what happens if a 14 year old girl gets a custodial sentance.

[pleasecanyouhelp]

A child I know is very likely to get a custodial sentence this week, will she go to a juvinile detention unit, or a childrens secure unit.

Will she be able to take her own clothes with her, does she need to pack a bag, before the sentence hearing?

Will they take her straight there? What will happen to her?

I am a long term poster but have changed my name to preserve the childs anonymity.

bump

:( bumping for you and her

Bump & googled this

This may be out of date info but when I worked in a childrens home approx 20 years ago there were a few options varying on 'severity' of the courts sentence.

-sometimes courts would remand a young person to the care of the local authority (eg a childrens home or specialist foster parents) with conditions imposed like a 7pm-7am curfew

-some would go to a young persons secure unit (not all young people there would be there due to offending, some may have been persistent absconders or deemed to be a risk to themselves due to their behaviour)

-some girls I worked with received custodial sentences in specialist units attached to female prisons.

They will go direct from court. Social workers/Youth Offending Teams etc would be aware of where there are vacancies

I hope someone comes along that can give you more detailed up-to-date info but in the meantime I hope that helps a little

I can't say what happens inside the secure unit, different units will have different rules. However, if the Court do impose a Detention and Training Order or any other type of custodial sentence she will be taken there straight from Court. In fact, she will be taken down to the Court cells as soon as the sentence is imposed by the Court. If her lawyer has advised her it is likely she will get a custodial sentence, it would be wise to take a bag of essential bits and bobs with her, particularly photos, writing paper, pens, underwear etc. If she does get a custodial sentence, her family should speak to the Youth Offending Team who will be able to give loads of information about which unit she has gone to and also arranging visits etc. Hope this helps

She has a SW, and we have been told it will not be foster care, as she has run away and broken her bail conditions repeatedly since she was first arrested in May.

Her solicitor and SW both think it will be Custodial, her Mother has asked the YOT officer, but they dont seem to know where she will go.

Will it be close, will we be able to go see her?

She is a very scared young girl tonight, and wish I could just help her.

It is her first offence (well series of offences all in short space of time) and was very easily led by a boy her own age who is already known to the police.

Solicitor has said because she wont stay away from him (she says she is in love with him) a nd the fact that she runs away and wont go to school, as well as the actual offence she will definitely get a custodial.

I really dont know how it got to this point

Thank you all of you.

I have bought her new underwear and 'smellies' so will put them all in a bag and send with her Mum and SW when they go to court.

Again bear in mind this is some time ago but I worked with girls in similar situations ( non-school attenders, constant absconders, 'in' with the wrong crowd, 'in love' with dodgy boyfriend, begin offending) and often they would be sent to a childrens secure unit in the first instance, in an attempt to break their patterns of behaviour.

The Secure Order would often be requested by the girls Social Worker, but would have to be approved by the courts. Has the SW not suggested anything like this before or has it escalated very quickly to a potentially serious offence?

We suggested it at the beginning but the Sw she had then refused to entertain the idea, progressively the behaviour has got worse, till she was being arrested everyday for breaking bail.

A new SW has taken over who is very good, I think she has recommended it.

We do think it would be a good idea, if it can help her, because, nobody knows how to help her.

My experience is very current. If she is due for sentence at Court, the order will be by way of sentence of the Court, not social services. Secure Orders can be requested by Socail Services, but that process is through the civil court system. Clearly your frined is in the Criminal Court system.

The Youth Offending Team won't be able to help you with where she is going until after the hearing. If she gets a custodial sentence, whilst she is in the Court cells, the YOT officer will make phone calls to confirm where she will go. It could be anywhere I am afraid, no guarantee it would be the nearest unit to home, just the one that has space for her on that date... sorry I know this could make it harder for her and her family.

Thank you Shel, will pass on info, maybe it might help her being away from here

If it a very serious offence, she will definately be sent to a specialist secure unit such as St. Charles or one of the Red Houses, if they still exist.

What is the most serious offence she has committed? She may not get custody but alot depends on the SW's pre-sentence report. Sometimes a period in custody can help a young person turn their life around - I've seen it happen!

Ds's schoolfriend (girl) who was remanded on a murder charge (first offence) was sent to a secure unit. She went straight from court at the initial hearing.Ds visited her with her parents, she was able to wear her own clothes and he took magazines, chocolate and paper,envelopes and stamps.
She was eventually acquitted of murder although the boyfriend and his friend were found guilty o murder. The time served was seen as the sentence for burglary which she was found guilty of.

any news yet?