Meeting the Needs of Welsh Speaking Young People in Custody

Abstract: This article explores issues of discrimination which may be experienced by Welsh speaking young people from Wales within the youth justice secure estate of England and Wales. The article provides a brief outline of the current use of the Welsh Language in Wales and explores the significance of being a territorially bound and historically situated linguistic group. Perceptions of members of a youth offending team (from an area with a high proportion of Welsh speakers) are used to illustrate some key issues affecting Welsh speaking young people sentenced to custody. The developmental and rehabilitative implications of the current situation for young Welsh speaking people and the institutional responses to their linguistic needs are explored. Concluding the discussion, the authors argue that either the current Youth Justice Board for England and Wales needs to engage more proactively with the bilingual context of Wales, or a new Youth Justice Board for Wales should be constituted. Such a Board, they suggest, would be specifically concerned and focused on Welsh issues and might therefore be more committed towards making equal opportunities a reality for Welsh speaking young people in custody.