HC Deb 07 March 2000 vol 345 cc571-2W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the "right" hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) of 27 January 2000,Official Report, column 249W, if he will list, for each category of offence, the specific offences for which those prisoners released to date under the Home Detention Curfew scheme were convicted; what was the (a) average and (b) maximum sentence (i) received and (ii) served for each offence; and if he will make a statement. [112739]

Mr. Boateng

[holding answer 2 March 2000]A further breakdown of the original offences committed by prisoners released under the Home Detention Curfew scheme in 1999 is shown in the table. The data are taken from the Prison Service's inmate information system based on the data recorded by each prison. The maximum sentence for each type of offence, and maximum time served, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by manually sifting the details of some 15,000 prisoners who were placed on Home Detention Curfew in 1999.

In operating the Home Detention Curfew scheme the Prison Service has an overriding duty to protect the public. No prisoner can be placed on Home Detention Curfew without first passing a risk assessment. Where there is a likelihood of offending while on curfew, or of breaching the curfew, or where the risk to the public is unacceptable, Home Detention Curfew is refused. The effectiveness of the risk assessment is demonstrated by the fact that overall the scheme has an impressive success rate of 95 per cent. of curfewees completing their period of curfew licence.

Months
Average
Offence Sentence Time served
Manslaughter 33.7 15.0
Other homicide and attempted homicide 23.6 10.0
Wounding 15.5 6.2
Assaults 7.4 2.6
Cruelty to children 15.2 6.3
Other violence against the person 15.8 6.4
Sexual offences 8.9 3.2
Indecent assault 10.2 3.8
Unlawful sexual intercourse 6.0 1.2
Bigamy 7.4 2.5
Burglary 19.1 7.1
Robbery 25.6 11.0
Taking and driving away 9.9 3.7
Other theft 11.2 4.2
Handling stolen goods 13.5 5.2
Fraud 12.9 4.9
Forgery 11.1 4.1
Drugs 20.1 8.4
Arson 22.1 9.3
Criminal damage 13.0 5.1
In charge or driving under the influence of drink or drugs 4.4 1.4
Other motoring offences 5.4 1.7
Drunkenness 4.7 1.4
Blackmail 20.1 8.3
Kidnapping 19.6 8.2
Affray 9.6 3.4
Violent disorder 14.9 5.8
Perjury/libel/pervert the course of justice 10.1 3.7
Threat/disorderly behaviour 9.2 3.4
Breach of Court Order 9.3 2.9
Other offences 12.2 4.7
Offence not recorded 12.4 4.7