Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution (or HMYOI) is a type of British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 prison

Prison

A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...

 intended for offenders aged between 18 and 20, although some prisons (particularly Ashfield

Ashfield (HM Prison)

HM Prison Ashfield is a male juvenile's prison located in the village of Pucklechurch , in Gloucestershire, England. The prison is operated by the Serco Group....

 and Huntercombe

Huntercombe (HM Prison)

HM Prison Huntercombe is a Category C men's prison, located near Nuffield in Oxfordshire, England. Huntercombe is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...

) cater for younger offenders from ages 15 to 17, who are classed as juvenile offenders. Generally a young offender is regarded as such until the date of their 21st or 22nd birthday, whereupon he or she will be sent to an adult prison or can remain in the YOI until they turn 22 if deemed appropriate.

Background

Young Offenders Institutions were introduced under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, but special centres for housing young offenders have existed since the beginning of the 20th century, with the first being opened at Borstal, Kent

Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

 in 1902.

The regime of a young offenders institution is much the same as that of an adult prison. However, there are some slight differences, notably the lower staff to offender ratio. Prisoners serving sentences at young offenders institutions are expected to take part in at least 25 hours of education per week, which is aimed at helping them to improve their behaviour, to develop practical skills for use in the outside world and to prepare them for lawful employment following their release. There are also opportunities for prisoners to undertake work in Community Service Volunteer programmes.

List of young offenders institutions

There were 15 dedicated institutions:

• HMP Ashfield
  Ashfield (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Ashfield is a male juvenile's prison located in the village of Pucklechurch , in Gloucestershire, England. The prison is operated by the Serco Group....
  
  
• HMYOI Aylesbury
  Aylesbury (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Aylesbury is a Young Offender Institution situated in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. The prison is located on the north side of the town centre, on Bierton Road...
  
  
• HMYOI Deerbolt
  Deerbolt (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Deerbolt is a male juvenile's prison and Young Offenders Institution located in the Village of Startforth , in County Durham, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI Huntercombe
  Huntercombe (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Huntercombe is a Category C men's prison, located near Nuffield in Oxfordshire, England. Huntercombe is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI Lancaster Farms
  Lancaster Farms (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Lancaster Farms is a male Young Offenders Institution, located on the outskirts of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and is part of the HMP North Lancashire and Cumbria Estate .-History:Lancaster Farms Prison opened in March 1993 as a...
  
  
• HMYOI Northallerton
  Northallerton (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Northallerton is a male Young Offenders Institution, located in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI Onley
  Onley (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Onley is a Category C men's prison, operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. The prison is named after the lost village of Onley which is located next to the prison....
  
  
• HMYOI Polmont
  Polmont (HM Prison)
  Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Polmont is the largest of its kind in Scotland. Despite its name, the institution is located in Reddingmuirhead in the Falkirk region, and not in Polmont....
  
  
• HMYOI Portland
  Portland (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Portland is a male Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of The Grove , in Dorset, England. Portland YOI prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI Rochester
  Rochester (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Rochester is a male Young Offenders Institution, located in the Borstal area of Rochester in Kent, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and is located next to HMP Cookham Wood....
  
  
• HMYOI Stoke Heath
  Stoke Heath (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Stoke Heath is a male juveniles prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of Stoke Heath in Shropshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI Swinfen Hall
  Swinfen Hall (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Swinfen Hall is a Category C men's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of Swinfen in Staffordshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.- History :...
  
  
• HMYOI Thorn Cross
  Thorn Cross (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Thorn Cross is a Category D Young Offenders Institution for males aged 18 to 25. The prison is located in the village of Appleton Thorn in Cheshire, England. Thorn Cross is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI Werrington
  Werrington (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Werrington is a male juvenile's prison located in the village of Werrington in Staffordshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI Wetherby
  Wetherby (HM Prison)
  HMP/YOI College of Secure Learning Wetherby is a male juveniles prison, located in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  

and 22 which share their site with other penal establishments:

• HMP & YOI Askham Grange
  Askham Grange (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Askham Grange is a women's open category prison, located in Askham Richard village in North Yorkshire, England. The prison is run by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Brinsford
  Brinsford (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Brinsford is a male juvenile's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of Featherstone , in Staffordshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Brockhill
• HMP & YOI Bronzefield
  Bronzefield (HM Prison)
  HMP Bronzefield is a Category A adult and young offender female's prison located on the outskirts of Ashford in Surrey, England. Bronzefield is the only purpose-built private prison solely for women in the UK, and is the largest female prison in Europe...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Castington
  Castington (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Castington is a male juvenile's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of Acklington in Northumberland, England...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Chelmsford
  Chelmsford (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Chelmsford is a Category B men's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in Chelmsford, Essex, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Durham
  Durham (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Durham is a local Category B men's prison, located in the Elvet area of Durham in County Durham, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI East Sutton Park
  East Sutton Park (HM Prison)
  HM Prison East Sutton Park is a women's open prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of East Sutton , in Kent, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Feltham
  Feltham Young Offenders' Institution
  HM Prison Feltham is a prison for male juveniles and Young Offenders Institution, located near Feltham town in the London Borough of Hounslow, in southwest London, England...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Guys Marsh
  Guys Marsh (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Guys Marsh is a Category C men's prison, located near Shaftesbury, Dorset, England. Guys Marsh is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:Guys Marsh was a former US Military Hospital. In 1960 it opened as a borstal...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Hatfield
• HMP & YOI Hindley
  Hindley (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Hindley is a male juvenile's prison, located in the village of Bickershaw in Greater Manchester, England. Hindley is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Hollesley Bay
  Hollesley Bay (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Hollesley Bay, known locally as Hollesley Bay Colony or simply The Colony, is a Category D men's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of Hollesley, about 8 miles from the town of Woodbridge in Suffolk, England...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Low Newton
  Low Newton (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Low Newton is a Closed prison for female adults and young offenders. The prison is located in the village of Brasside in County Durham, England. Low Newton is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Moorland
• HMP & YOI New Hall
  New Hall (HM Prison)
  HM Prison New Hall is a Closed Category prison for female adults, juveniles and young offenders. The prison is located in the village of Flockton in West Yorkshire, England. New Hall is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Norwich
  Norwich (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Norwich is a Category B/C multi-functional prison for adult and juvenile males, located on Mousehold Heath in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Reading
  Reading (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Reading, formerly known as Reading Gaol, is a prison located in Reading, Berkshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMP & YOI Warren Hill
  Warren Hill (HM Prison)
  HM Young Offenders Institution Warren Hill is a male juvenile's prison located near the village of Hollesley in Suffolk, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and is situated next to Hollesley Bay Prison.-History:...
  
  
• HMP/RC & YOI Exeter
  Exeter (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Exeter is a local men's prison, located in Exeter in the county of Devon, England. The term 'local' means that this prison holds people on remand to the local courts. Exeter Prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  
• HMYOI & RC Glen Parva
  Glen Parva (HM Prison)
  HM Prison Glen Parva is a male juvenile's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in Leicester, Leicestershire, England. Glen Parva is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
  
  

See also

• Her Majesty's Prison Service
  Her Majesty's Prison Service
  Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
  
  
• Young offender
  Young offender
  A young offender is a young person who has been convicted or cautioned for a criminal offence. Criminal justice systems often deal with young offenders differently from adult offenders, but different countries apply the term 'young offender' to different age groups depending on the age of criminal...
  
  
• Borstal
  Borstal
  A borstal was a type of youth prison in the United Kingdom, run by the Prison Service and intended to reform seriously delinquent young people. The word is sometimes used loosely to apply to other kinds of youth institution or reformatory, such as Approved Schools and Detention Centres. The court...
  
  
• Youth detention center
  Youth detention center
  A youth detention center, also known as a juvenile detention center , juvenile hall or, more colloquially as juvie, is a secure residential facility for young people, often termed juvenile delinquents, awaiting court hearings and/or placement in long-term care facilities and programs...