HC Deb 18 July 1973 vol 860 c153W
Mr. Hooson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of boys sentenced to borstal training commit other offences within two years of release.

Mr. Carlisle

The most recent figures available are in the Annual Report on the work of the Prison Department (Statistical Volume) for 1971 (Cmnd. 5156), and relate to England and Wales. Of young men discharged from borstal in 1966, 1967 and 1968, 61 per cent., 65.4 per cent. and 65.1 per cent. respectively were reconvicted within a period of two years.

Mr. Grieve

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of persons released from borstal has (1) been before the courts for further offences and (2) been returned either to prison or to borstal within five years of their first release from borstal, giving the figures for the last five years for which they are available.

Mr. Carlisle

I regret that information in the form requested is not available. Such information as can be provided about reconvictions of young men released from borstal is published in the Annual Report on the work of the Prison Department (Statistical Volume) (Cmnd. 5156.) Of the young men discharged from borstal in 1966, 1967 and 1968 in England and Wales, 61 per cent., 65.4 per cent. and 65.1 per cent. respectively were reconvicted within a period of two years, and 46.7 per cent., 46.9 per cent. and 46.8 per cent. respectively were recommitted to prison or borstal under sentence. The corresponding figures for young women are 34.4 per cent., 37.9 per cent., 38.8 per cent. and 14.4 per cent., 21.5 per cent. and 16.3 per cent.