The Young Offender Institution Rules 2000

Occupation and Links with the Community

Regime activities

37.—(1) An inmate shall be occupied in a programme of activities provided in accordance with rule 3 which shall include education, training courses, work and physical education.

(2) In all such activities regard shall be paid in individual assessment and personal development.

(3) The medical officer or a medical practitioner such as is mentioned in rule 27(3) may excuse an inmate from work or any other activity on medical grounds; and no inmate shall be set to participate in work or any other activity of a kind for which he is considered by the medical officer or a medical practitioner such as is mentioned in rule 27(3) to be unfit.

(4) An inmate may be required to participate in regime activities for no longer than the relevant period in a day, “the relevant period” for this purpose being—

(a) on a day in which an hour or more of physical education is provided for the inmate, 11 hours;

(b) on a day in which no such education is provided for the inmate, ten hours; or

(c) on a day in which a period of less than an hour of such education is provided for the inmate, the sum of ten hours and the period of such education provided,

provided that he may not be required to participate in any one regime activity for more than eight hours in a day.

(5) Inmates may be paid for their work or participation in other activities at rates approved by the Secretary of State, either generally or in relation to particular cases.

Education

38.—(1) Provision shall be made at a young offender institution for the education of inmates by means of programmes of class teaching or private study within the normal working week and, so far as practicable, programmes of evening and weekend educational classes or private study. The educational activities shall, so far as practicable, be such as will foster personal responsibility and an inmate’s interests and skills and help him to prepare for his return to the community.

(2) In the case of an inmate of compulsory school age, arrangements shall be made for his participation in education or training courses for at least 15 hours a week within the normal working week.

(3) In the case of an inmate aged 17 or over who has special educational needs, arrangements shall be made for education appropriate to his needs, if necessary within the normal working week.

(4) In the case of a female inmate aged 21 or over who is serving a sentence of imprisonment or who has been committed to prison for default and who is detained in a young offender institution instead of a prison, reasonable facilities shall be afforded if she wishes to improve her education, by class teaching or private study.

Training courses

39.—(1) Provision shall be made at a young offender institution for the training of inmates by means of training courses, in accordance with directions of the Secretary of State.

(2) Training courses shall be such as will foster personal responsibility and an inmate’s interests and skills and improve his prospects of finding suitable employment after release.

(3) Training courses shall, so far as practicable, be such as to enable inmates to acquire suitable qualifications.

Work

40.—(1) Work shall, so far as practicable, be such as will foster personal responsibility and an inmate’s interests and skills and help him to prepare for his return to the community.

(2) No inmate shall be set to do work of a kind not authorised by the Secretary of State.

Physical education

41.—(1) Provision shall be made at a young offender institution for the physical education of inmates within the normal working week, as well as evening and weekend physical recreation. The physical education activities shall be such as will foster personal responsibility and an inmate’s interests and skills and encourage him to make good use of his leisure on release.

(2) Arrangements shall be made for each inmate, other than one to whom paragraph (3) and (5) applies, to participate in physical education for at least two hours a week on average or, in the case of inmates detained in such institutions or parts of institutions as the Secretary of State may direct, for at least 1 hour each weekday on average, but outside the hours allotted to education under rule 38(2) in the case of an inmate of compulsory school age.

(3) If circumstances reasonably permit, a female inmate aged 21 years or over shall be given the opportunity to participate in physical education for at least one hour a week.

(4) In the case of an inmate with a need for remedial physical activity, appropriate facilities shall be provided.

(5) If the weather permits and subject to the need to maintain good order and discipline, a female inmate aged 21 years or over shall be given the opportunity to spend time in the open air at least once every day, for such period as may be reasonable in the circumstances.

Outside contacts

42.—(1) The governor shall encourage links between the young offender institution and the community by taking steps to establish and maintain relations with suitable persons and agencies outside the institution.

(2) The governor shall ensure that special attention is paid to the maintenance of such relations between an inmate and his family as seem desirable in the best interests of both.

(3) Subject to any directions of the Secretary of State, an inmate shall be encouraged, as far as practicable, to participate in activities outside the young offender institution which will be of benefit to the community or of benefit to the inmate in helping him to prepare for his return to the community.

After-care

43.—(1) From the beginning of his sentence, consideration shall be given, in consultation with the appropriate supervising service, to an inmate’s future and the help to be given to him in preparation for and after his return to the community.

(2) Every inmate who is liable to supervision after release shall be given a careful explanation of his liability and the requirements to which he will be subject while under supervision.