Mr. GwilymRoberts asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people convicted of vandalism 42W or hooliganism have been sentenced to weekend community service; in how many of these cases the offence was related directly or indirectly to football matches; what plans he has for extending weekend community service and to develop adequate supervision arrangements; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JohnThere is no specific criminal offence of hooliganism or vandalism. Offences arising out of such behaviour are covered in the classifications of disorderly behaviour and criminal damage respectively. In 1975, the latest year for which such information is available, five persons were given community service orders following conviction of disorderly behaviour and 123 following conviction of criminal damage. It is not possible, save at disproportionate cost, to establish how many of these persons were convicted of offences related to football matches, nor whether they were assigned by the probation service to tasks which occupied them at weekends, nor whether other persons, convicted of other offences in connection with football matches, were given community service orders.
Community service arrangements now exist in the whole of 31 probation and after-care areas and in parts of 22 others. My right hon. Friend is confident that probation and after-care committees will take every opportunity to extend schemes as resources permit and that the probation and after-care service will continue to maintain adequate supervisory arrangements for all offenders given community service orders.
I am sure that the courts will have in mind the possibility of making community service orders in respect of the sort of offenders envisaged in this Question, provided the necessary statutory conditions are met and that they are individually suitable—which will not always be the case. Community service is often, but not always, performed at weekends.