HL Deb 06 February 1980 vol 404 cc1488-9WA
Lord DONALDSON of KINGSBRIDGE

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the average length of prison sentences in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978 calculated as an index which takes 1961 as 100.

Lord BELSTEAD

The information requested is given in the following table; it is on the same basis as Graph 4(a) of Report on the work of the prison department 1976: Statistical tables (Cmnd 6884).

Average effective length of sentence on reception into prison(1)
Index 1961 × 100
1961 … … 100
1974 … … 143
1975 … … 143
1976 … … 142
1977 … … 133
1978 … … 127
(1) Including consecutive and activated suspended sentences and a sentence length for life sentences compatible with time served.