HC Deb 06 June 1957 vol 571 cc1452-3
27. Sir K. Joseph

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of detention in Borstal of any convenient comparable groups released in 1955 and 1956, respectively.

Mr. R. A. Butler

In 1955 the average length of detention for the maturer type of inmate in closed institutions was 22.1 months, and, in open institutions, 17.4 months, as compared with 21 months and 16.9 months respectively, in 1956. For the younger type of inmate the corresponding figures for 1955 are 25 months and 18.2 months, as compared with 22.5 months and 17.6 months in 1956.

Sir K. Joseph

Will my right hon. Friend ask the Commissioners to do all they can to maintain this most welcome trend, both because of the pressure of accommodation and because of the Mannheim findings last year in the study of Borstal that short sentences are quite as effective in reducing recidivism as longer sentences?

Mr. Butler

A Working Party is studying the Mannheim Report. When I have received the Working Party's report I will communicate with my hon. Friend. I welcome his acknowledgement that there has been an improvement in the trend.