BASW England Criminal Justice Group | An exploration of concerns relating to PAVA incapacitant spray in youth custody settings

BASW England’s Criminal Justice group has expressed serious concerns at the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) decision, announced 24 April 2025, to introduce PAVA incapacitant spray across all youth custody settings in England. We believe this policy change will undermine safety, trust and the therapeutic environments essential to supporting children/young people in custody.

Key concerns include:

• Trauma and health risks: Chemical sprays can cause respiratory distress, eye injuries, and panic attacks—particularly among young people with prior histories of abuse, mental health struggles or neurodivergent conditions.

• Erosion of trust: Youth justice social workers strive to build rapport and trust. The presence of PAVA as even as a specialist response tool sends a signal of control and coercion, not care and support. It sets a precedence opening a gateway to further roll out.

• Deterrent to engagement: Fear of chemical force may discourage young people from participating in education, therapy and restorative programmes critical to reducing reoffending.

• Alternatives exist: De-escalation training, relational approaches, improved education access and enhanced staffing levels have proven more effective and less harmful in managing challenging behaviour in youth settings.

Join us at this online event to raise awareness and to review the next steps in challenging the deployment of PAVA.

Guest speakers will be:

Jess Mullen – Chief Executive Officer at the Alliance for Youth Justice (AYJ) Jess works with the Board to strategise and lead the AYJ’s work to drive positive change in youth justice and towards being a more diverse, engaging, sustainable and effective organisation. Jess has 20 years’ experience of working in the voluntary sector to challenge systemic injustice by supporting and empowering people who are marginalised or discriminated against to make their voices heard and to advocate for their needs. She was previously CEO at Collective Voice, the alliance of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery charities. Prior to that Jess was Director of Influence and Communications at Clinks the national charity for voluntary sector organisations working in criminal justice. At Clinks Jess led influencing activity to promote the role of the voluntary sector in criminal justice, to tackle racism and discrimination in the justice system including youth justice, and to highlight the impact of probation reforms on the voluntary sector.

Oshéa Johnson – Forensic Social Worker and Criminal Justice group member Oshéa holds a BA in youth justice studies and has over a decade of experience as a youth justice practitioner, supporting children in contact with the youth justice system. Starting as a referral order panel member, she interned within a youth justice service before moving on to a prevention and early intervention role. Over the years, Oshéa held various post-court positions including supervising custodial sentences, resettlement into the community, and transitioning into the adult estate. Before returning to university, Oshéa gained experience as a substance misuse worker, where she worked with both adults and children impacted by addiction. Alongside studying for her MA in Social Work, Oshéa worked within the supported living sector. Oshéa’s human rights focused dissertation investigated the ethical and relational implications of the proposal to use PAVA, a chemical incapacitant, to restrain children within young offender institutions. Through future doctoral studies, Oshéa aims to explore how PAVA’s implementation and the broader perceptions of violence shape youth justice policy and frontline practice. Ultimately, Oshéa advocates for a more humane and holistic response for those in contact with the judicial system.

The event will be followed by the usual Criminal Justice group meeting (11:00am – 12:00pm)