§ 21. Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the widespread condemnation of the practice of sending young people to prison, he will promote legislation to prevent young people between the ages of 17 and 21 from being subjected to imprisonment?
§ Sir J. SIMONI most fully appreciate the objections to sentencing young offenders to imprisonment if any possible alternative is open to the court. But the decision when to use one of these alternatives, such as probation or Borstal training, must be a matter for the discretion of the court having regard in each individual case to the facts of the offence and the character of the offender. 533 Legislation removing all discretion from the courts would not, I fear, be practicable.