HC Deb 05 November 1946 vol 428 cc230-2W
Mr. Battley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the comparative numbers of juvenile offenders, boys and girls, during the 12-month period following the 1914–18 war and the 12-month period following the 1939–45 war.

Mr. Ede

The available statistics do not enable a precise comparison to be made because the Children and Young Persons Act, 1932, raised the age of "young persons" from 16 to 17. In 1919 the number of persons under 16 years of age found guilty in magistrates courts of indictable and non-indictable offences was 40,710 (38,930 boys and 1,780 girls). In the 12 months ended 30th June, 1946, the figures relate to persons under 17 years of age and show a total of 66,011 (61,207 boys and 4,804 girls).

Mr. Hale

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the figures for each year from 1939 to 1945, inclusive, showing how the following cases of boys and girls in the juvenile courts were disposed of: dismissals under the Probation of Offenders Act, binding over without

DISPOSAL OF PERSONS UNDER 17 YEARS OF AGE, FOUND GUILTY IN MAGISTRATES' COURT OF OFFENCES.
Year. Total Found Guilty. DISPOSAL.
Dismissed under P.O. Act. Recogs. without Probation Order. Recogs. with Probation Order. Approved School. Care of Fit Person. Institute for Defectives. Imprisonment. Whipping. Committed to Q.S. with recommendation for Borstal. Otherwise disposed of.*
INDICTABLE OFFENCES.
Males.
1939 28,717 6,756 2,062 14,492 4,863 157 73 9 47 32 2,226
1940 38,932 8,248 2,880 18,094 4,494 166 91 17 265 42 4,635
1941 39,713 8,291 2,811 17,384 4,433 200 118 23 473 66 5,914
1942 34,740 7,459 2,179 14,905 4,005 180 97 11 290 97 5,517
1943 34,894 7,977 2,211 15,524 3,602 182 97 11 135 55 5,100
1944 36,727 8,886 2,367 16,113 3,477 154 92 16 31 55 5,536
1945 39,601 19,437 2,620 16,080 3,406 170 92 20 21 61 6,685
Females.
1939 1,826 322 100 1,106 178 29 11 80
1940 2,946 522 202 1,642 347 34 7 2 2 188
1941 3,503 647 227 1,858 435 42 12 1 6 275
1942 3,466 652 211 1,888 359 56 17 2 6 274
1943 3,479 667 193 1,944 350 42 15 1 3 264
1944 3,394 717 195 1,796 359 41 9 3 2 272
1945 3,222 755 227 1,553 314 45 17 2 309
NON-INDICTABLE OFFENCES (INCLUDING OFFENCES AGAINST THE DEFENCE REGULATIONS:
Males.
1939 21,232 8,266 689 1,411 153 11 5 3 6 10,688
1940 22,509 7,305 664 1,449 197 8 7 2 18 10 12,849
1941 27,014 8,022 874 1,988 231 9 12 2 28 5 15,843
1942 26,168 7,852 728 1,697 137 7 7 2 4 6 15,728
1943 27,004 8,056 890 1,742 148 6 4 14 5 16,139
1944 25,238 8,228 1,019 1,630 147 22 10 2 2 14,178
1945 27,872 9,400 1,007 1,696 135 4 5 2 3 15,620
Females.
1939 1,039 374 21 38 4 0 602
1940 1,384 331 14 48 10 1 2 1 1 976
1941 1,875 457 41 132 10 4 2 1 1,228
1942 1,805 432 56 93 9 2 1 1,212
1943 2,282 568 40 169 19 2 1,484
1944 2,277 604 89 176 45 4 2 3 1,354
1945 2,245 679 43 166 33 3 1 1 2 1,317
* Most of the cases in this column are dealt with by fines. Of the 23,931 offences "otherwise disposed of" in 1945, 22,769 were dealt with by fines.

supervision, probation, committal to an approved school, committal to the care of a fit person, committal to an institute for mental defectives, imprisonment, birching and committal to quarter sessions with a recommendation for Borstal.

Mr. Ede

Following are the figures requested: