HC Deb 02 February 1961 vol 633 cc151-2W
87. Mr. Abse

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of public concern over the victims of murder with rape, he will give fresh consideration to the memoranda submitted to the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment by the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Delinquency; whether he is aware that pathological murder is often potentially preventable by early treatment; and whether he will confer with the appropriate authorities with a view to creating a preventive system to combat violent crime by the establishment of an adequate service of child psychiatry for the recognition and treatment of disordered children who may be potential murderers.

Mr. R. A. Butler

The child care, health, welfare and education services are constantly on the alert to identify children in need, for whatever reason, of psychiatric treatment. The services available for dealing specifically with mentally disordered children are developing, and I am considering with my colleagues, in the light of the recommendations of the Ingleby Committee, how to improve the co-ordination of the various local services concerned with the welfare of children. I shall keep in mind the views expressed on this subject by the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Delinquency.