HC Deb 27 April 1955 vol 540 cc925-6
39. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent there has been an increase or a decrease in the number of cases of juvenile delinquency in West African and East African Colonies, respectively, during 1954 or 1953 compared with 1950 or 1951; and what is the increase or decrease in the number of instances for the same periods where corporal punishment has been inflicted.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

As the reply necessarily contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Sorensen

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the incidence of juvenile delinquency has gone up or gone down, and if it has gone up, what is the cause?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Not surprisingly it has gone up in some places and down in others. So I hesitate to give an answer.

Mr. Sorensen

Would the Minister give us a little more information on the subject and not try to ride off in that fashion?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The answer will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT, and today week I shall be at the top of the list at Question Time, when the hon. Gentleman can apply whatever chastisement he chooses.

Following is the reply:

— JUVENILE DELINQUENCY* Sentences by Magistrates and Juvenile Court Orders, including probation, etc. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT of Juveniles (Sentences)
1951 1953 1951 1953
Tanganyika Not available Not available 424 452
Zanzibar 63 70 10 23
Kenya 1,333 1,137 646 924
Uganda 211 248 13 16
Nigeria 609 610 Not available Not available
Gold Coast 655 856 159 105
Sierra Leone 180 353 0 0
Gambia Not available Not available 5 Not available
*The figures for juvenile delinquency necessarily reflect only sentences and orders of Magistrates' and juvenile courts. By far the greater number of juvenile offenders are dealt with by Native Courts and tribal authorities and no comparable statistics could be obtained. Increases under this head may reflect the expansion of the juvenile court system in the territories rather than an increase in juvenile delinquency. It is not therefore safe to base any conclusions about the extent of juvenile delinquency or the effects of corporal punishment on the figures available.