The right to difference – being LGBT+ in the prison system
If you’re a young adult in prison, life is challenging enough; if you’re LGBT+, this challenge is magnified. Faced with an environment in which prejudice can be embedded at all levels, many choose to hide their true identity to avoid further stigma. Dr Fernando Fernandes talks us through his research project and what needs to […]
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Young people deserve a second chance
In this month’s Year of Young People blog Josh and Lauren, members of the Communic18 team who have helped to co-design this year’s programme of events, discuss current plans to amend the Age of Criminal Responsibility, and why they think this is long overdue. “Let’s help our UK counterparts follow the path that we, Canada […]
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Help is in your hands
So, what went wrong during my time in care? To be honest, we should all know the history of wrongdoing in care settings, so I don’t think details are necessary. There are still investigations going on throughout the UK and beyond, and it is right that victims have the opportunity to voice their stories. Suffice […]
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Q and A with young people from the Pilton Youth & Children’s Project FACENorth Group
The Pilton Youth & Children’s Project FACENorth Group focusses on alternatives to crime in Edinburgh north. More information about this project can be found here. What age should you start to be charged from and why? “14, because that’s when you start getting in trouble and learn stuff.” “16, that’s when you get the jail […]
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Life is hard in general, regardless of your background…
…For me, social work breathing down my neck, being in a care home, being homeless, experiencing mental health issues, as well as getting in trouble with police, made it extra hard. When I was rebellious, this was a way of preventing me from feeling vulnerable and from feeling emotions which inevitably caused negative effects throughout […]
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Our wakeup call: A disappointing increase in offence referrals
We felt the need to write this blog following the publication of the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration (SCRA) Annual Statistics, which show an increase in the number of offence referrals made for young people. Rather than use the old clichéd disclaimer about statistics, let’s say that statistics paint a picture, and it is for us […]
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Pink socks
I hate personal disclosures, which is rather unfortunate in this field of work, as we all need them. They remind me of pink socks; a constant reminder of that one time you accidently let a red sock sneak into the washing machine with your white ones. This doesn’t make you a bad person. It doesn’t […]
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Dual Diagnosis in Scottish prisons
According to statistics published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, mental health issues affect as many as 9 out of 10 prisoners. The Hughes Report quotes that 70% of all prisoners have combined mental health and substance misuse problems, meaning that 70% of prisoners suffer from ‘dual diagnosis’. Dual diagnosis is the combination of a […]
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A Walk Down Their Street
For those of you who do not know about ‘The Street’, then all I can say is you are missing out, and you need to get that sorted. I had been hoping for an opportunity to visit the Street project since I first heard about it three years ago, and a few weeks ago I […]
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