17 YEAR olds who receive remand or custodial sentences are no longer being sent to the Isle of Man Prison.
Since January, 17 year olds have been detained in St Christopher's Children's Secure Unit in Douglas, instead.
This follows an inspection of prison services which deemed it "inappropriate" to house people of this age in adult prisons.
Bill Malarkey MHK, Political Member for Social Services and Home Affairs, said: "Whilst we are fortunate to have minimal numbers of children receiving remand or custodial sentences, when this does happen the departments have demonstrated their commitment to the rights of the child whilst also focussing on the child's responsibility to change behaviour.
"By working in partnership between the Department of Social Care and the Department of Home Affairs we can ensure that at the secure unit we are able to develop bespoke packages of support which further tackle the root causes of crime."
Minister for Social Care Martyn Quayle MHK said: "Specially trained staff at St Christopher's are able to offer rehabilitative programmes in a targeted and intensively supported way to provide the best possible chances for 17 year olds not to reoffend once released back into the community.
"The root causes of criminal activity can also be better explored and built into preventative programmes which are then closely monitored and reviewed."
