§ Sir I. SALMONasked the Home Secretary how many cases in the juvenile courts in the last year have been dealt with by dismissal and by being bound over, respectively?
§ Mr. LLOYDThe figures for Juvenile Courts cannot be given separately but during 1934—the figures for last year are not yet available—in all Summary Courts in England and Wales 13,068 juveniles under the age of 17 were dealt with by dismissal, 12,520 were placed on probation and 2,449 were bound over without supervision.
§ Sir I. SALMONasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that on 13th March the magistrate at Lambeth 2966W Juvenile Court, in dealing with six young shopbreakers aged 12 to 14 years, remanded them on bail for three months, stating that they all ought to be remanded in custody but that he was unable to do so because there was no room for them; how many children and young persons were detained in the remand home for over a month while waiting for admittance to the Home Office schools in the last 12 months; and whether he will take steps to establish observation centres, in accordance with the unanimous recommendation of the Departmental Committee on the Treatment of Young Offenders in 1927?
§ Mr. LLOYDI believe that the facts are as stated in the first part of the question. According to information supplied by the London County Council 228 is the number detained in their remand home for over a month while awaiting admission to approved schools during the year ended 31st March last. The Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, does not empower my right hon. Friend to establish observation centres, but progress is being made by local authorities in developing observation facilities in the principal remand homes.