§ MR. D. F. GODDARD (Ipswich)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to two sentences, each of 14 days' imprisonment, recently passed on lads of 15 years of age in Suffolk—one by the Woodbridge Bench of magistrates on 721 a boy who had taken a watch from a drunken man, given part of it away, and exchanged the rest for a pocket knife; and the other by the Mildenhall Bench of Magistrates for trespassing in pursuit of game; and, whether he will consider if he can amend the law, either by legislation or otherwise, so as to prevent tin passing of such sentences on mere youths, who are in this way brought into the society of habitual criminals?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYThe hon. Member has been good enough to send me a newspaper report of these two cases, but there is nothing in the report which would lead me to suppose that the boys have been treated with undue severity. The question how to diminish the evils attendant upon imprisonment of youths, including that to which the hon. Member refers, is one which is constanly under my consideration.