Thee issue of children in prison was discussed at the fifth annual lecture organised by the St Albans Diocese Penal Affairs Group at the University of Hertfordshire on Tuesday evening.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons, Nick Hardwick CBE , addressed an audience of more than 300 people in a lecture called "What should we do with boys like Luke?".

The Penal Group’s founder, Simon Baynes, a member of General Synod, introduced the evening saying that the Ggroup existed to "weave a Christian thread into the justice tapestry of Herts and Beds".

Mr Hardwick spoke of how he was troubled and challenged by the boys at HM Young Offenders Institution (YOI) Wetherby and Cookham Wood.

These boys are aged 15-17 and come from all over England including from Hertfordshire. In a short period just before inspecting one of the YOI’s Mr Hardwick told the audience about two self-inflicted deaths.

The Chief Inspector highlighted the history of children in custody from the 1930’s to the present day. The audience heard about Borstals, Secure Training Centres and Young Offenders Institutions.

Mr Hardwick set three principles for improvement: Change who is in charge from Central Government to either Local authorities or the county’s Police & Crime Commissioner

Recognise that these are children who are being locked up and treat them as children, and recognise that these children are capable of change.

He went on to comment on the large sum being spent on the first of three secure colleges to be opened in 2017 which will house 300 young people in a mixed college of boys and girls: He said: "If I had £85m to spend then I would spend it on staff training rather than new buildings.

"How do they plan to keep the gangs apart in these colleges? How do they plan to keep the boys and girls apart?"

As well as students and academics from the University, attendees at the lecture included many distinguished guests form the criminal justice system locally.

Mr Fergus McMullen, the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire was also in attendance.

Next year’s lecture will mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and the key role that the Church played in that.