HC Deb 28 July 1960 vol 627 cc194-5W
107. Mr. A. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children, under the age of 17 years, were found guilty before juvenile courts in England and Wales of indictable and non-indictable offences, respectively, during the six months ended 30th June, 1960; and, of those children, how many were classed as children being in need of care or protection, as defined by Section 61 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, or as children who are ill-treated or neglected in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

Mr. R. A. Butler

Figures for 1960 are not yet available and it is not possible to separate the figures for juvenile courts from those for other magistrates' courts; but the Criminal Statistics for 1959, published today, show that, during that year, 51,996 persons under 17 were found guilty by magistrates' courts of indictable offences and 46,376 of non-indictable offences. Where a child or young person is brought before a court charged with an offence, the question whether he is in need of care or protection within the meaning of Section 61 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 193:3, does not arise in those proceedings.