A GOVERNMENT report has highlighted a lack of investment in a young offenders' institution.

Deerbolt, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, is said to provide a "decent and safe" environment for its current 478 inmates.

However, because of a lack of resources, a small minority of offenders are still spending up to 23 hours a day locked in their cells.

The report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons identifies insufficient education and training opportunities for Deerbolt's population, who are aged between 18 and 21.

Deerbolt management staff, who have a £9m annual budget to meet running costs, are said to be working to correct these shortcomings, but the report says they could do more with greater resources and support from the Government.

HM Chief Inspector Anne Owers said: "The resources now available for youngsters in prisons like Deerbolt only serve to highlight the impoverished regimes available for young adults who are most likely to re-offend."

Governor Phil Copple said the need for greater funding was recognised, but pointed to recent grants made available for drugs and education programmes.

He also said there were a number of excellent facilities at the institution, which opened in 1973.

The report, based on a five- day inspection visit last October, praised Deerbolt's use of the home detention curfew system which allows inmates to be electronically tagged and released early from their sentence.

The policy was well managed and working effectively, as was a "listening scheme" operating among inmates, aimed at providing emotional support.

Staff-prisoner relationships were relaxed and there had not been a suicide for 11 years at Deerbolt, the report revealed.

Mr Copple said: "The inspectorate concluded, quite rightly, that Deerbolt is a good safe, decent and positive establishment.

"Many areas of good practice are recognised and the criticisms are broadly fair.

"But as the report acknowledges these have been identified and are being addressed.

"We do need to improve further, but as the Chief Inspector notes, we believe we are well positioned to do so."