High levels of violence impacting the operation of HMYOI Wetherby

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at Wetherby Young Offenders Institution (YOI) raises a number of concerns in its 2022-23 annual report, most notably regarding the high levels of violence. The number of serious assaults perpetrated against staff or between young people impacts the running of the establishment, resulting in less time out of room and an unpredictable regime, understandably leading to increased feelings of frustration and uncertainty amongst young people.

The Board notes that:

• The number of written representations it received from young people relating to purposeful activity (including education, work, training and time out of room) rose from five in the previous reporting year, to 96 this year. This shows the impact an unpredictable regime is having on these young people, many of whom have already experienced chaotic lifestyles before entering custody.
• Levels of violence have been high throughout the reporting year, with a total of 34 serious incidents taking place. This is a sharp increase on the two which took place in the previous year.
• There has been an increase in finds of illicit items such as drugs, mobile phones and improvised weapons within the establishment, with double the number of weapons (889) found this year compared to last.

The IMB Wetherby Chair, Catherine Porter, said:

“Whilst the Board acknowledges the hard work of the dedicated staff team and the continuing progress being made, it remains concerned about the violent behaviour of a small cohort of young people, and the negative impact this is having on outcomes for all. The increasing number of young people who receive a custodial sentence for violent offences, including knife crime, should unsettle us all and needs to be addressed at a national level.”