§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders convicted in the last year were(a) illiterate, (b) released from care, (c) suffering from drug or any other addiction or (d) suffering from mental illness. [30988]
§ Mr. MacleanThe information is not collected centrally on the number of offenders who are illiterate, suffering from drug or any other addiction or who have been released from care.
Court information collected centrally on mentally disordered offenders is limited to those who have committed a more serious offence and as such have been convicted under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
In 1993, one male aged between 14 and 18 was convicted of the offence of arson and sent to hospital under section 37(1) of the Mental Health Act 1983. A further male offender within the same age group was found guilty of robbery and sentenced to a hospital order with restriction under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983.