§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what percentage of cases of people brought before the courts on charges of shoplifting, in each of the last five years, the defendant was appearing before a court for the first time; and what was the equivalent percentage, over the same period of time, for people appearing before courts on charges of theft, assault, grievous bodily harm, or arson.
§ Mr. JohnInformation in the form requested is not readily available. The following information is based on an analysis of a sample of persons convicted in 1971:
Proportion of persons convicted of certain offences in 1971 who had no previous conviction in the period 1963–70. England and Wales Offence Percentage Shoplifting 62 Theft (other than shoplifting) and handling stolen goods 50 Violence against the person 44