§ 44. Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Home Secretary whether in view of the widespread condemnation of the practice of sending young people under 21 years of age to prison, he will circularise the magistrates, pointing out the dangers and mischievous results of this practice?
Captain WALLACEThe treatment of young offenders was dealt with at length in a circular issued to all Courts of Summary Jurisdiction on the 20th July, 1928, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. In this circular attention was called to the objections to imprisonment for young offenders under 21 and to the alternatives available to the courts.
§ Mr. LOVAT-FRASERHas the hon. and gallant Gentleman read the pronouncement of the Lord Chief Justice upon this practice which was uttered a few days ago?
Captain WALLACEIt seems to me that this more or less covers exactly what the Lord Chief Justice said.
§ Mr. GODFREY NICHOLSONWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman take steps to encourage magistrates to refrain from sending juvenile offenders to prison for very short periods which can do no good whatever?
Captain WALLACEMy hon. Friend is no doubt aware of the alternatives available and of the fact that there is a strict limit to what we can do in the way of encouraging magistrates.