§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many young people under the age of 21 years who (a) have been convicted of an offence involving violence and (b) have not been convicted of such an offence, are at present on one of the four special hospitals.
§ Sir George Young[pursuant to his reply, 1 December 1980, c. 75]: All patients detained in special hospitals were considered at the time of admission to require treatment for their mental disorder in conditions of special security because of their dangerous, violent or criminal propensities. Of the 87 patients under the age of 21 who were detained in special hospitals as at 28 November 1980, 24 had not been convicted of an offence and were detained under the provisions of part IV of the Mental Health Act 1959, one had been found unfit to plead and was detained under section 5 of the Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964. The remainder were convicted of offences as follows:—
Nature of offence* Number of Patients Violence against the person 32 sexual offences 9 Criminal damage (arson) 13 Other indictable offences 8 (1) Offences classified as in Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1979.