§ Sir W. BYLESasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the proportion of juvenile to adult offenders sent to prison in the past year; whether the proportion is increasing or decreasing; what are the numbers of cases put under the operation of the Probation Act; and whether the number is satisfactory to the Home Office, or whether any steps can be taken to encourage magistrates to make a wider use of this Act of Parliament, with a view to reducing the number of first offenders sent to prisons?
§ Mr. McKENNAIn 1911, out of 159,745 convicted offenders received in prison, only twenty-one were under sixteen; the number of juvenile prisoners has been diminishing very markedly for years past, and has been brought by the operation of the Children's Act almost to a vanishing point. The number of persons put on probation during 1911 is not yet available, but in 1910 it was 10,223, and there were 63,735 other cases where the Court of Summary Jurisdiction held that the charge was proved, but discharged the offender without punishment under Section 1 of the Probation of Offenders Act. No doubt there are numerous cases to which the Act might properly be applied but is not, just as there are undoubtedly cases in which the discharge of an offender without punishment is shown to have been mistaken leniency; but I think the figures make it clear that on the whole magistrates are ready to take full advantage of the Act. I am, however, considering whether by means of a further circular I can assist magistrates towards a more general and uniform exercise of the powers given them by this most useful Act.
§ Sir W. BYLESasked the Home Secretary whether it is the practice of the Home Office, when an offender is committed to prison in default of payment of a fine, to add to the fine the cost of conveyance from the town of committal to the prison; and how far the promised reform of allowing time for the payment of fines before committal to prison has been carried?
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§ Mr. McKENNAThe cost of a convicted prisoner's conveyance to gaol may be included among the costs he may be ordered to pay, and at present it is the usual practice to do this. I do not think the practice is a good one, and am taking steps to secure its discontinuance. I hope next Session to introduce a Bill providing,inter alia, for time for the payment of fines being allowed in all cases where this is proper and practicable. Circulars from the Home Office have recommended magistrates to follow this practice wherever possible, and, pending legislation, I shall take every opportunity that may occur for encouraging the extension of the practice.