Juvenile Justice Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1999

General principles

3.—(1) These rules apply to all children ordered to be detained in a juvenile justice centre and are made having regard to the following general principles:—

(a) children ordered to be detained in a juvenile justice centre shall be held safely for their protection and with sufficient security to meet the need to protect the community;

(b) the manager and each member of staff at a centre shall encourage good order and discipline in a centre through his positive personal influence and example;

(c) the treatment of children shall be such as to promote self-respect and good health and encourage them to develop a sense of personal responsibility;

(d) clean, comfortable and warm living conditions and a wholesome, nutritious and appetising diet sufficient to promote and maintain good health and human dignity shall be provided for children in custody;

(e) children committed by the courts will be required to use their time constructively and will be supported throughout the custodial and supervision periods in working towards successful rehabilitation;

(f) children in custody shall be treated with fairness, dignity and respect at all times and in a manner which takes account of personal circumstances and they shall be entitled to contribute when decisions which affect them are made;

(g) children in custody will be treated equally and will have access to services and facilities without discrimination on the basis of religion, race, ethnic origin, gender, language, sexual orientation, disability, political opinion, nationality, birth, economic or other status;

(h) the custodial environment shall, so far as is possible, be stable and control will be maintained as befits the needs and interests of the children, the community and the good order of the centre;

(i) a child will be encouraged to maintain links with his family and/or those having responsibility for his welfare and will be assisted in other respects to prepare for release from custody;

(j) a child will retain all rights and privileges except those removed as a necessary consequence of his detention in a juvenile justice centre;

(k) each child detained in a centre will have access to a copy of the juvenile justice centre rules.

(2) These principles, taken together are intended as a guide to the interpretation and application of the rules.