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Goggins welcomes CJINI report on Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre (21/05/2008)
Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre is making a real difference and bringing about positive and lasting changes to the lives of the young people who are sent there, Criminal Justice Minister, Paul Goggins has said.The Minister has welcomed this first report on the purpose built Juvenile Justice Centre published by Criminal Justice Inspector Kit Chivers today.
Paul Goggins said: “This is an excellent report and gives deserved recognition to the staff who work hard to educate and motivate those young people who are placed in custody at Woodlands.
“This purpose built centre has transformed the way in which juvenile custody in being delivered in Northern Ireland.
“This is a particularly challenging environment with some extremely difficult and complex young people, a number of whom have committed very serious offences.
“The report finds that the strong focus on the individual needs and problems of these young people provides the right environment for staff to use their skills in order to bring about positive and lasting change.
“In addition, the provision of high quality safety and security within the building enable the staff to concentrate on activities which address the offending behaviour of the young people and contributes to their successful re-integration back into the community.”
Bill Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency said: “I am delighted with this report. Staff at Woodlands can be justifiably proud of what they have achieved and the opportunity they provide in giving young people with very challenging behaviours an opportunity to turn their lives around.”
To download the CJINI Report in PDF Format, please click here.
Notes to Editors
- The new Juvenile Justice Centre in Bangor was built in response to recommendations made by the comprehensive review of the juvenile justice estate and the Criminal Justice Review in 2000
- Following the closure of Lisnevin near Millisle on 7 October 2003 a single juvenile justice centre for Northern Ireland was created in refurbished accommodation at Rathgael.
- The new centre has capacity to provide accommodation for up to 48 young people. While numbers vary considerably the average population is normally between 25 and 30 - mostly boys between 15 and 16 years of age.
- The new centre accommodates boys and girls who have been remanded into or sentenced to custody by the court, therefore, accommodation more specifically designed to meet the needs of vulnerable young people, including girls, has been incorporated within the new centre
- The cost of construction was £16.8 million and was self funding through the sale of the surrounding land.
- The new centre became fully operational towards the end of January 2007 and is called Woodlands.
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