Out of Trouble is a Prison Reform Trust campaign.  The Prison Reform Trust is an independent charity which funds research into the workings of the prison system; provides advice and information for prisoner's and their families; works to raise public awareness of the overuse of prisons and the effectiveness of alternatives; and campaigns for a just, humane and effective penal system.

Out of Trouble is kindly supported by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

Visit the Prison Reform Trust's website here to find out more about who we are and what we believe in.

Out of Trouble is working to reduce the numbers of children and young people who are imprisoned. We campaign on behalf of children from the earliest age they can be imprisoned (currently age 10 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and age 8 in Scotland, although the Scottish Government is looking at raising this to 12) and young people up to the age of 25. 

Whilst this campaign is focused on children and young people, we care about all unnecessary imprisonment, and the Prison Reform Trust campaigns on behalf of all prisoners, whatever their age. 

We are particularly concerned about the imprisonment of children and young people because the experience can be especially damaging for the young and because time spent in custody as a child increases the likelihood of further periods of imprisonment later in life.  We believe it is vital that we do everything possible to prevent this generation of children and young people from becoming the next generation of adult prisoners.

Imprisoning children and teenagers is inhumane and ineffective. Children who are imprisoned are frequently placed hundreds of miles from their friends and families and seldom get visits from them. They spend all their time mixing with other offenders, which can make juvenile jails little more than universities of crime. On top of that, imprisonment is a very stressful experience, with 29% of children in YOIs reporting feeling unsafe while inside. 30 children have died whilst in custody since 1990, the youngest of whom was just 14.
 
Imprisonment is phenomenally expensive. A place in a young offenders' institution can cost up to £100,000 a year, a secure training centre up to £160,000 and a secure children's home over £200,000 a year. Despite the vast amounts of money spent on locking them up, the experience does very little to address the reasons why they commit crime, with three-quarters of children who have been in custody re-offending within a year of their release. 

England and Wales has one of the highest rates of child imprisonment in the world, with between 2,500-3,000 children under the age of 18 in prison at any one time. Children who have been sentenced to custody can be held in one of three places, depending on their age and vulnerability: a secure children's home, a secure training centre or a young offender's institution - all of which are prisons in all but name. In Northern Ireland, children sentenced to custody are held in one of two places - either the Juvenile Justice Centre (JJC), for children aged 10-17, or a Young Offenders' Centre for those aged 17 to 24. On average, there were 27 children imprisoned in the JJC at any one time last year.

Out of Trouble is kindly supported by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The Fund continues the Princess' humanitarian work in the UK and overseas. By giving grants to organisations, championing charitable causes, advocacy, campaigning and awareness raising, the Fund works to secure sustainable improvements in the lives of the most vulnerable people in the UK and around the world.

Visit www.theworkcontinues.org for further information on the work of The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

Child prisons are not open to the public though there are various volunteering opportunities available within the juvenile estate. 

For details of some of the roles involved visit http://www.yjb.gov.uk/en-gb/yjs/GetInvolved/Volunteering/SecureEstate/ or look at our Get Involved page.

Opportunities also exist to be a prison visitor. Contact the National Association of Prison Visitors for more details at http://www.naopv.com/.

You can help us by signing-up to receive e-newsletters and other updates from the Out of Trouble team and by helping us to campaign. Campaign supporters will be sent regular suggestions on how to take action to reduce child and youth imprisonment. Have a look at our Get Involved page for more suggestions on what you can do to help.