§ Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridgeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the most recently available information on the proportion of life sentence prisoners who are reconvicted of different categories of offence following release on licence.
§ Viscount UllswaterThe available data is shown below. Eleven persons originally released in 1972–87 had been reconvicted of homicide by the end of 1987 (1 per cent.), two of whom had received their original life sentence for an offence other than homicide. This information was published inStatistical Bulletin 19/89.
Life licensees reconvicted within two or five years of release by type of offence for which life sentence was imposed
Percentage of persons first released Reconvicted of— Type of offence and year of 1st release Number of persons first released(1) a grave(2) after 1st 2 yrs offence Period 5 yrs a standard(3) release 2 yrs list offence 5 yrs Homicide 1972–82 614 1 3 10 21 1972–85 828 1 .. 9 .. Other offences 1972–82 82 4 9 18 30 1972–85 110 4 .. 20 .. Total 1972–82 696 2 4 11 22 1972–85 938 1 .. 10 .. .. not available (1) Excluding those deported on release. (2) Covers mainly homicide, serious wounding, rape, buggery, robbery, aggravated burglary and arson. (3) Includes in addition to the grave offences mentioned in footnote 2 all indictable offences, i.e. violence against the person, sexual offences, burglary, robbery, theft and handling stolen goods, fraud and forgery, other (including drug) offences; it also includes some summary offences.