Prison reformers said that "you have to treat children with decency if you want them to change their behaviour. This barbaric practice must stop" and expressed horror that it was so widespread. New figures released by the Home Office show that the cells have been used systematically over the last year, despite bureaucratic lies that they were used in just one institution. 'Special cells' were (officially) used 153 times at youth prisons across the country. Top of the list is Huntercombe in Oxfordshire, where they were used 46 times, followed by Feltham in west London (32) and Lancaster Farms (27).

Judges and politicians spouted platitudes on the matter - it's lawful to separate children for short periods but they should be treated humanely, the cells are used only in extreme circumstances and not as punishments - but in practice prison governors and officers will do whatever they want, whenever they can get away with it, which is most of the time. And solitary cells provide a convenient method of frightening, punishing and degrading inmates to make them easier to control.

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