Juvenile Justice Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1999

Part I Preliminary

Citation and commencement

1.  These rules may be cited as the Juvenile Justice Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1999 and shall come into operation on 31st January 1999.

2.  The Training Schools Rules (Northern Ireland) 1952(1) are revoked.

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.

Interpretation

4.—(1) In these rules the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:—

“Board” means the Board of Management having responsibility for the management or control of a juvenile justice centre;

“centre” means a juvenile justice centre provided under Article 51 of the Order;

“child” means a young person who is remanded or ordered to be detained in a juvenile justice centre;

“food” includes drink;

“inspector” means any authorised person exercising his powers under Article 55 of the Order;

“manager”, in relation to a centre, means the person for the time being having the management or control of a centre or the person nominated by him to act on his behalf;

“medical officer”, in relation to a centre, means a registered medical practitioner appointed by the Board and references to the medical officer shall include references to other members of the medical and nursing professions;

“Order” means the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998;

“parent” includes the guardian or authority who has for the time being responsibility for the care of a child;

“police officer” means any member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary;

“Secretary of State” includes officers of the Northern Ireland Office.

Code of conduct

5.  The Secretary of State may approve a code, or codes, in relation to the conduct, duties and discipline of the management and staff of a centre.

Application of these rules during an emergency

6.  Where there is an emergency affecting the safe and secure operation of a centre the Secretary of State may direct that these rules shall only have effect to the extent consistent with action taken with regard to that emergency.

(1)

S.R. & O. 1952 No. 132