§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an ad hoc committee to examine ways of reducing the prison population.
Mr. BritianNo; since this subject has recently been considered both by the
OFFENDERS SENTENCED AT THE CROWN COURT AFTER CONVICTION AT MAGISTRATES' COURTS BY TYPE OF COMMITTAL AND SENTENCE OR ORDER ENGLAND AND WALES 1978 Type of committal Total number of offenders sentenced* Non-custodial sentence Detention centre order Borstal training On bail or in custody Number … 16,109 5,352 757 4,570 Percentage … 100.0 33.2 4.7 28.4 In custody Number … 11,148 3,243 559 3,513 Percentage … 100.0 29.1 5.0 31.5 … Suspended sentence Immediate imprisonment Type of committal 6 months and under Over6 months 6 months and under Over 6 months On bail or in custody Number … 503 510 2,287 2,130 Percentage … 3.1 3.2 14.2 13.2 In custody Number … 236 291 1,565 1,741 Percentage … 2.1 2.6 14.0 15.6 * An offender who is sentenced on one occasion for both indictable and non-indictable offences is counted twice; this is not expected to affect the percentage distribution.