HC Deb 22 November 1984 vol 68 cc261-2W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give a breakdown by year of the numbers of females aged 14 years but under 21 years who were (a) found guilty of or (b) cautioned for, indictable offences per 100,000 of population in each of the last 15 years;

(2) if he will give a breakdown by year of the numbers of males aged 14 years and under 21 years who were (a) found guilty of or (b) cautioned for, indictable offences per 100,000 of population in each of the last 15 years.

Mr. Mellor

The readily available information is published in tables 5.18 and 5.19 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1983" (Cmnd. 9349) and in the corresponding tables in the publications for earlier years.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by region of the numbers of juvenile offenders (a) found guilty of or (b) cautioned for offences of burglary, criminal damage and theft in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Mr. Mellor

The readily available information is published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" for the years 1980 to 1983 in supplementary tables, vol. 3, tables S3.2(B), S3.2(C), S3.4(B), S3.4(C), S3.7(B) and S3.7(C); and for 1979 in the Command Paper (Cmnd. 8098), tables 3(b), 3(c), 7(b), 7(c), 34(b) and 34(c).

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give a breakdown by age of offender in years of the total number of offences committed by females under 25 years of age which resulted in either cautions or convictions for each of the last three years for which figures are available;

(2) if he will give a breakdown by age of offender in years of the total number of offences committed by males under 25 years of age which resulted in either cautions or convictions for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Mr. Mellor

The readily available information is published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1983" (Cmnd. 9349) (table 5.19 for indictable offences and supplementary tables, vol. 4, table S4.1 (B) and S4.1 (D) for summary offences).

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has carried out on the results of the application of the short sharp shock treatment on young offenders; and on what basis of research he has made his decision to introduce this system in all young offender establishments.

Mr. Mellor

On 24 July my right hon. and learned Friend announced the publication of a report by the young offenders psychology unit evaluating the experiment with tougher regimes in selected detention centres and a programme of work to establish a consistent regime for the whole detention centre system. Much but not all of the experimental regime will be incorporated into the new regime on a permanent basis. Full account is being taken of the evaluation findings, experience of running the experimental regimes, and the way in which detention centres generally have geared their regimes to the new sentencing structure introduced in May 1983; and the prison service unions are being fully consulted. The new regime will come into operation next year.