Whistleblowing Policy Needed For Jersey’s Youth Justice System

A “whistleblowing” policy should be developed within the youth justice system in Jersey, a prison campaign group has found.

The Howard League for Penal Reform conducted a review of the youth justice system in Jersey at the request of the then minister for health and social service in Jersey, Senator Stuart Syvret.

The report, published today (Friday 14 November) says staff at the Greenfields Centre are divided into different camps with “distrust” in some areas of management.

The centre is Jersey’s secure facility for children and young people aged between 10 and 16.

The report says there was a strong feeling among some staff that it was impossible to raise concerns in an effective way without fear of recrimination.

“There was no confidence in the policy on reporting serious concerns,” it says. “We were told of a culture of fear and intimidation.”

The report said that not all staff felt the same way but that these kinds of difficulties have serious consequences for the care of children.

Authors added a recommendation that team-building processes be implemented and a more effective whistleblowing policy introduced.