§ Mr. Prittasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the growing practices of magistrates in petty sessional courts, when putting convicted persons on probation, of imposing the condition that they enlist in the armed forces of the Crown and, in some cases, of offering not to sentence them to imprisonment if they undertake so to enlist; and whether, as these practices tend both to throw an undeserved slur on the armed forces and to discredit the administration of justice, he will consider addressing a circular letter to magistrates on the matter?
§ Mr. PeakeAny pressure by courts on offenders to enlist in the armed forces would be open to the strongest objection, and amongst the Home Office circulars to justices there is a circular of 1922 calling attention to the points mentioned by the hon. and learned Member. In several cases where inquiries have been made by my Department about cases reported in the newspapers it has been found that the suggestion of enlistment has come not from the Bench but from some relative or social worker who has urged on behalf of a younger offender that he has good qualities and would do well if allowed to enlist.
My right hon. Friend does not think there is any growing tendency of courts to act as suggested in the question, but he has been considering whether a further circular to justices would be useful and he is in consultation with the Service Departments, whose policy of maintaining a high standard of character for recruits would be prejudiced by any such practice.