London riots: Boris Johnson calls for restorative justice (and not "Borstal-style" schools)

By Dave Hill, Guardian,


From The Sun:

Courts must be given new powers to send child rioters to tough Borstal-style schools, Boris Johnson insists today.

Oh really? The claim is made on the basis of a letter from the Mayor to justice minister Ken Clarke, "seen by The Sun" - copied to it by the Mayor's office, in other words, initially exclusively. What does the letter actually say? At my request, City Hall has kindly sent me a copy too. It contains no mention of "tough, Borstal-style schools" but a suggestion that under-18s "for whom a full custodial sentence is not deemed appropriate but where a community sentence is a totally inadequate response," be sent to pupil referral units [PRUs] for a period.

The Sun's report mentions PRUs, but either doesn't know or care that these are not "tough, Borstal-style schools," (whatever that actually means) but places of learning specifically designed for, as the PRUs' national body puts it, "Vulnerable young people [who] include those with emerging personality disorders, severe anxiety and depression as well as other mental health and medical needs." It adds: "Unfortunately much good work is undermined by negative stereotyping and labels in the press like 'sin bins'." Or, perhaps, "tough, Borstal-style schools."

In fact Boris's case for PRUs being involved is a bit subtler than The Sun suggests. I quote the relevant section in full:

Depriving the offender of their customary school place is something which would hit home. It would isolate them from their peer group during the school day, preventing bragging rights on school premises and sends a salutary warning to other pupils that such behaviour will result in temporary ejection from the school community. Referring them to a PRU puts them in a unit where teachers are already skilled in addressing unacceptable behaviour but at the same time ensures that their education is continued.

I believe that such an approach would provide a welcomed, firm response, penalising the offender and at the same providing magistrates a much needed option between a community sentence and full custodial incarceration.

It adds:

I am copying this letter to Michael Gove.

To read this interesting article in full, click here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/davehillblog http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif