Lord James Donglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the number of years served by each of those sentenced for murder and for culpable homicide, respectively, in each year from 1945 to 1976;
(2) what was the average completed life sentence for murder in the years from 1945 to 1976;
(3) what was the average completed sentence for culpable homicide in the years from 1945 to 1976.
§ Mr. Harry EwingIt is not possible to provide information in exactly the form requested. The tables below give, for persons sentenced in the years requested, (1) the average period served by those364W sentenced to life imprisonment for murder who have since been released on licence; (2) an estimate of the average period served by those sentenced for culpable homicide who were sentenced to imprisonment.
The figures given for life sentences for murder relate to the period up to first release and do not take account of recalls in certain cases; they include sentences of detention during Her Majesty's Pleasure. The figures for sentences of imprisonment include sentences of detention in a young offenders institution from 1969 onwards.
It is not possible without substantial additional work to take into account the effect of parole on the length of sentence of imprisonment served for culpable homicide for the years since 1967. The average estimated time in custody for later years is likely, therefore, to be somewhat less than that shown.
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RELEASE OF PRISONERS SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDER Year sentenced imposed Number released Average period served till release 1945 2 8 years 9 months 1946 3 8 years 7 months 1947 1 8 years 9 months 1948 2 3 years 10 months 1949 1 4 years 8 months 1950 7 7 years 11 months 1951 0 — 1952 0 — 1953 1 5 years 0 months 1954 1 8 years 4 months 1955 1 18 years 8 months 1956 1 8 years 5 months 1957 1 9 years 0 months 1958 3 10 years 4 months 1959 3 8 years 6 months 1960 3 9 years 8 months 1961 2 9 years 4 months 1962 6 10 years 10 months 1963 1 8 years 0 months 1964 6 9 years 6 months 1965 9 9 years 4 months 1966 10 8 years 9 months 1967 5 8 years 6 months 1968 1 7 years 5 months There have been no releases of persons sentenced after 1968.
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PERSONS SENTENCED FOR CULPABLE HOMICIDE Length of sentence imposed Sheriff Court High Court Estimated average time in custody taking account of remission but ignoring parole Not more than 6 months Over 6 months and not more than 1 years Over 1 year and not more than 2 years Not more than 2 years Over 2 years and not more than 3 years 3 years and not more than 4 years 4 years and not more than 7 years 7 years and not more than 10 years Over 10 years Years Months Number not sentenced to imprisonment 1945 … … 3 — — 3 5 — 1 1 1 2 4 Not available 1946 … … — — 1 1 5 — 2 2 2 3 11 — 1947 … … — 2 — — 3 — — 1 2 4 1 — 1948 … … 1 — 3 3 2 — 1 — 1 2 1 — 1949 … … — — 1 — — — — — 1 5 6 — 1950 … … 3 — 1 3 — — — — 1 1 8 — 1951 … … 1 — 1 2 3 — — — 2 3 2 1 1952 … … 1 — 1 3 — — — — 1 2 3 2 1953 … … 3 — 1 1 3 — 2 — 1 2 6 1 1954 … … — 1 1 1 — — 3 1 1 3 8 3 1955 … … 3 — 1 1 3 — 3 2 2 3 5 3 1956 … … — — — 2 2 1 — — — 1 7 — 1957 … … — — — 1 2 1 2 — 2 3 10 — 1958 … … — — — — 3 — 3 2 4 5 10 2 1959 … … 1 — 1 2 2 3 1 — 3 3 9 1 1960 … … — 1 — 3 1 — 3 7 4 5 1 2 1961 … … — 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 6 3 1962 … … — 3 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 2 8 2 1963 … … — — 1 3 — 2 2 — 2 3 — 6 1964 … … 1 — 4 2 — — 2 1 — 2 — 5 1965 … … 1 — — 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 — 11 1966 … … 3 2 1 3 1 — 3 1 2 2 5 13 1967 … … 4 2 1 — 1 — 1 1 2 1 11 15 1968 … … 1 — — 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 7 12 1969 … … — 2 2 9 1 2 3 8 1 3 — 8 1970 … … 5 3 3 2 1 — 5 3 4 3 — 16 1971 … … 1 — — 3 1 — 1 — 2 3 6 6 1972 … … 1 1 1 3 1 2 5 9 — 3 7 8 1973 … … 2 — — 3 2 4 9 8 2 3 10 7 1974 … … — — 2 6 6 3 5 — 1 2 5 11
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were sentenced for murder and for culpable homicide respectively, in each year from 1945 to 1976.
§ Mr. Harry EwingThe number persons sentenced is as follows:
Murder Culpab homicide 1945 Not available Not available 1946 6 13 1947 1 8 1948 3 11 1949 — 2 1950 9 8 1951 1 10 1952 3 8 1953 4 12 1954 3 11 1955 1 18 1956 1 5 1957 2 8 1958 6 14 1959 6 14 1960 5 21 1961 4 13 1962 9 16 1963 2 16 1964 8 15 1965 15 19 1966 22 29 1967 26 27 1968 25 21 1969 22 36 1970 25 42 1971 40 14 1972 33 31 1973 33 37 1974 35 34 1975* 37 26 * Provisional.