HC Deb 10 February 1983 vol 36 cc459-60W
Mr. David Steel

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will seek to amend the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 to provide for the same scope of remission of sentence for young offenders as applies to adults.

Mr. Younger

Young offenders in detention centres or young offenders institutions already qualify for remission in the same way as adult prisoners. When the sentence of borstal training is abolished later this year on the implementation of section 45 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980, all young offenders—persons not less than 16 but under 21 years of age—on whom detention has been imposed by a court will be eligible for such remission.

Remission would be inappropriate for the special category of young persons under the age of 16 sentenced by a court to detention for a specified period or committed by a court for a period of residential training, for whom early release dates are better determined by a careful, continuous assessment of all relevant factors, including

Regional Services*
£'000(Outturn prices)
1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82
Regions and Islands
Borders
Allocation 2,327 3,694 5,410 5,536 5,515
Per Capita 23.3 36.8 53.8 55.4 55.4

response to training, prospects of reintegration with the community and the level of family or other support in the community. Full recognition is thus given to those aspects of conduct which attract remission in other cases.

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