§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time was from arrest to sentencing for young offenders in the latest period for which figures are available; by what date he expects to meet his target to halve the time from arrest to sentencing for persistent young offenders; what the definition is of persistent offending; and if he will make a statement. [60345]
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§ Mr. BoatengInformation about the average time for arrest to sentence for young offenders has not been collected nationally in the past. New arrangements to do so were trialled earlier this year and put in place nationally in October. In addition, we have undertaken two special exercises to monitor the time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders, reflecting our commitment to halve the average time from arrest to sentence for this group. In 1996, the average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders was 142 days. In 1997, it was 141 days overall and 138 days between May and December 1997.
A persistent young offender is defined as a young person who has been sentenced on three or more separate occasions by any criminal court in the United Kingdom for one or more recordable offences, and within three years of the last sentencing occasion is subsequently arrested or has information laid against him for a further recordable offence.
The Government are taking a range of actions to help local agencies achieve quickly the target of a national average of 71 days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders. We have asked all youth courts to set up fast tracking schemes for persistent young offenders. In the last 12 months, the number of fast track schemes has grown from 12 to 160 in operation or planned in England and Wales. The scheme for all young offenders in North Hampshire has shown what can be achieved by cutting the average time taken to deal with young offenders from charge to sentence from 133 days to 89 days.
From October, we have set demanding performance targets for all stages of proceedings up to and after trial and for all youth justice agencies. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 includes provisions to help courts to manage cases more quickly and effectively. Several measures, based on recommendations in the Narey review, are currently being piloted, with national implementation planned for October next year. The Act will also enable statutory time limits to be set in cases involving young offenders and persistent young offenders.
§ Mr. Derek TwiggTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the proposals for a new disposal for young offenders, contained in Chapter 9 of the White Paper "No More Excuses" will be taken forward. [60672]
§ Mr. StrawThe White Paper "No More Excuses" set out radical proposals for reform of the youth court, to enable those appearing before the youth court for the first time to be referred, by way of sentence, to a youth offender panel. Following the principles of restorative justice, the panel would draw up a contract with the young offender to include reparation to the victim of the offence, or to the wider community, and measures to deal with
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Recruitment and wastage figures—police forces in England and Wales–1997–98 Forces Total police strength Recruits % of total strength Dismissals % of total strength Voluntary resignations % of total strength Avon and Somerset 2,975.85 105 3.5 2 0.1 18 0.6 Bedfordshire 1,079.20 46 4.3 1 0.1 14 1.3 Cambridgeshire 1,291.18 58 4.5 0 0.0 8 0.6 Cheshire 2,041.92 87 4.3 0 0.0 20 1.0 City of London 824.90 29 3.5 0 0.0 16 1.9 Cleveland 1,483.43 56 3.8 4 0.3 4 0.3 drug or alcohol abuse, poor parenting, or other issues relevant to the offending behaviour. The length of the referral would be determined by the court on the basis of the seriousness of the crime, up to a maximum of 12 months. The Government invited comments on these proposals, and received replies from 97 individuals and organisations. The majority of the respondents were in favour of the proposals.
As suggested in the White Paper, it is intended that the new disposal will be automatic for those appearing for the first time and pleading guilty, save for those occasions where either an absolute discharge or a custodial sentence is considered appropriate. In the light of consultation, it is also proposed to make the disposal available, on a discretionary basis, where the defendant pleads guilty to some offences but not guilty to others; and to give the courts discretion to extend existing referral orders when dealing with other offences committed before or during the referral period. The White Paper suggested that membership of the youth offender panel be drawn from the magistracy and the police. In the light of consultation, it is proposed that panel members be recruited from members of the community with an experience of young people and crime. This would include magistrates and the police, but on a lay basis.
Subject to these and other minor amendments to the original White Paper proposals, legislation making provision for this new disposal will be introduced at the earliest opportunity.