HC Deb 20 January 1993 vol 217 cc249-51W
Mr. Batiste

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (i) how many juveniles have been convicted of(a) offences against property, (b) assault, (c) taking cars without the owner's consent, (d) driving without a licence and (e) dangerous driving in England in each of the last five years;

(2) how many juveniles have been convicted of burglary in England in the last five years.

Mr. Jack

The information is given in the table.

Number of juveniles (persons aged 10 to under 17) convicted at all courts of certain offences 1987–91)
England Principal offence 1987 1988 1989 1990 1 1991
Offences against property
Burglary 10,244 8,474 7,060 6,266 5,549
Theft and handling stolen goods 19,967 16,365 10,013 9,123 7,976
Fraud and forgery 436 357 317 243 214
Criminal damage 1,462 1,420 1,072 1,120 969
Assault
Grievous bodily harm 582 616 565 551 464
Actual bodily harm 2,789 2,983 2,863 2,423 2,190
Assault on constable 259 240 233 232 192
Common assault1 59 59 157 220 231
Theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

Table A

Number and percentage of offenders found guilty at all courts and cautioned in the East Midlands region, Nottinghamshire police force area

and England and Wales by age and type of offences 19911

Area/type of offence Cautioned Aged under 21 years Found guilty Total found guilty or cautioned Cautioned All Ages Found guilty Total guilty or cautioned
Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. [= 100%] [= 100%] [= 100%]
East Midlands region
Indictable offences 10,868 69 9,541 36 20,409 48 15,782 26,311 42,093
Summary non-motoring offences 3,081 59 6,011 17 9,092 22 5,226 36,420 41,646
All offences (excluding summary motoring) 13,949 66 15,552 25 29,501 35 21,008 62,731 83,739
Nottinghamshire pfa
Indictable offences 4,353 67 3,501 38 7,854 50 6,452 9,190 15,642
Summary non-motoring offences 1,040 66 2,100 18 3,140 23 1,573 11,885 13,458
All offences (excluding summary motoring) 5,393 67 5,601 27 10,994 38 8,025 21,075 29,100
England and Wales
Indictable offences 119,424 66 115,376 34 234,800 46 179,885 335,394 515,279
Summary non-motoring offences 38,649 39 63,279 14 101,928 19 98,880 450,558 549,438
All offences (excluding summary motoring) 158,073 57 178,655 23 336,728 32 278,765 785,952 1,064,717
1 Provisional.

England Principal offence 1987 1988 1989 1990 1 1991
Theft 921 668 582 524 500
Unauthorised taking2 4,919 4,507 4,284 3,861 3,573
Driving without a licence 38 42 16 28 26
Dangerous driving
Reckless driving 76 113 169 214 288
1 Provisional.
2 Reclassification as summary offences under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (October 1988).

Mr. Batiste

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of offences committed by juveniles in England while on bail in each of the last five years.

Mr. Jack

Information is not currently available nationally. However, my Department is presently examining with the police ways in which the extent of offending on bail can be effectively monitored at a national level.

Mr. Batiste

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consult the police authorities on the reform of legislation to permit custodial sentences to be imposed on juvenile offenders.

Mr. Jack

We intend to consult widely, including representative organisations of the police service, before bringing any firm legislative proposals before Parliament.

Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders in(a) the east midlands, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) Mansfield and (d) England and Wales were under 21 years in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Jack

[holding answer 15 January 1993]: Information for 1991, which is provisional, is given in the tables.

Table B Number and percentage of offenders found guilty at Mansfield1 petty sessional division by age and type of offence 19912
Area/type of offence Aged under 21 years Found guilty All ages Found guilty
Number per cent. ( =100 per cent.)
Mansfield petty sessional division
Indictable offences 734 41 1,807
Summary non-motoring offences 418 18 2,364
All offences (excluding summary motoring) 1,152 28 4,171
1 Including convictions at the Crown Court where the committing court was Mansfield petty sessional division.
2 Provisional.