Baroness Faithfulasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many (a) males and (b) females aged 15 and 16 were discharged from prison service establishments in 1987, 1988 and 1989 respectively; and what was the number and percentage of those discharged in each of these years who were reconvicted within two years of discharge.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)Reconviction statistics relate to "standard list" offences as defined in Appendix 4 ofCriminal Statistics England and Wales, 1992. It was estimated from the study of a sample of those discharged in 1987, that of the 2,749 males aged 15 and 16 discharged from prison service establishments in 1987, about 2,270, or 83 per cent., were reconvicted within two years of discharge, and that of the 35 females aged 15 and 16 discharged in 1987, about 15, or 43 per cent, were reconvicted within two years of discharge. Reconviction results of those discharged in 1988 and 1989 are not yet available.