HL Deb 03 September 1998 vol 593 cc19-23WA
Lord Dholakia

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of (a) all offenders, (b) adult male offenders, (c) adult female offenders, and (d) male offenders of all ages sentenced for indictable offences were sentenced to custody at all courts, Crown Courts and magistrates' courts

Table A: Average sentence length and proportion of offenders sentenced to immediate custody for indictable offences1 by sex and court, England and Wales, 1992 to 1997
Category of offender 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 As a whole First quarter 19972 Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter
Average sentence length3 (months)
Magistrates' courts
Males aged 21 or over 2.7 3.2 3.1 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.8 2.6 2.6 2.6
Females aged 21 or over 2.2 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.1
The Crown Court
Males aged 21 or over 21.1 21.8 21.6 22.0 23.6 24.2 24.2 23.9 24.3 24.4
Females aged 21 or over 17.7 17.7 18.5 17.7 20.0 19.6 19.9 20.5 17.1 20.8
Proportion sentenced to custody (percentages)
All courts
All offenders of which 15 15 17 20 22 22 22 22 22 23
All males 16 17 18 22 23 24 24 24 24 25
Males aged 21 or over 18 18 20 24 25 26 26 26 26 27
Females aged 21 or over 6 7 8 10 12 13 12 13 14 14
Magistrates' courts
All offenders of which 5 6 7 9 10 10 10 10 11 11
All males 5 6 8 9 10 11 10 11 11 12
Males aged 21 or over 5 6 7 9 11 12 11 12 12 13
Females aged 21 or over 2 3 4 5 6 8 6 8 9 9

respectively in each year from 1992 to 1997 and each quarter of 1997 and 1998; and [HL3094]

What was the average sentence length passed on (a) adult males and (b) adult females by the Crown Courts and magistrates' courts respectively in each year from 1992 to 1997. [HL3095]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Available information for England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland is given in the tables.

Table A: Average sentence length and proportion of offenders sentenced to immediate custody for indictable offences1 by sex and court, England and Wales, 1992 to 1997
Category of offender 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 As a whole First quarter 19972 Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter
The Crown Court
All offenders of which 44 49 52 56 60 60 61 60 59 60
All males 46 51 54 58 63 62 63 63 62 62
Males aged 21 or over 47 51 54 58 63 63 64 63 63 63
Females aged 21 or over 24 28 30 32 36 36 37 37 36 34
1 The data are based on the sentences given for the principal offence.
2 Estimated.
3 Excludes life sentences.

Table B1: Average determinate sentence1 (months) given to adult2 males and females convicted of any offence and given immediate custody by type of court, Northern Ireland, 1992 to 1997
Type of court/Category of offender 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Magistrates' courts
Adult males 5 5 5 5 5 5
Adult females 4 5 4 4 3 4
Crown Court
Adult males 45 58 45 48 31 34
Adult females 52 39 42 29 11 17
1 Figures exclude life and SOSP prisoners.
2 Adults are defined as those aged 17 years plus (inclusive).

Table B2: Proportion of all offenders, adult1 male offenders, adult1 female offenders and all male offenders sentenced to custody for indictable offences by type of court, Northern Ireland, 1992 to 1997
Percentages
Type of court/Category of offender 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Magistrates' courts
All offenders 15 16 15 15 15 15
All male offenders 16 18 16 17 16 17
Adult males 18 19 17 18 17 18
Adult females 4 4 5 5 5 5
Crown Court
All offenders 50 62 53 53 54 57
All male offenders 53 65 56 55 56 60
Adult males 53 66 57 56 57 61
Adult females 20 21 8 24 16 22
All courts
All offenders 19 22 19 20 20 21
All male offenders 21 24 21 22 22 23
Adult males 23 25 23 24 23 24
Adult females 6 5 5 7 5 7

Note: 1997 and 1998 data by quarter are not available.

Table C1: Average sentence length given1, 2 (months) for males and females aged 21 or over in Scottish courts, 1992 to 1996
Court type/gender 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Stipendiary Magistrates' courts
Males aged 21 or over 2.9 3.0 3.5 3.7 3.8
Females aged 21 or over 2.7 3.1 3.3 3.1 3.6
District Court
Males aged 21 or over 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.8
Females aged 21 or over 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.7
Sheriff Summary Court
Males aged 21 or over 3.4 3.4 3.7 3.7 3.6
Females aged 21 or over 2.9 3.0 3.4 3.0 3.2
Sheriff Solemn Court
Males aged 21 or over 13.7 15.1 15.8 16.5 17.0
Females aged 21 or over 9.4 12.5 12.8 15.9 16.2
High Court
Males aged 21 or over 57.2 52.4 57.8 57.0 61.1
Females aged 21 or over 32.4 31.2 38.6 34.8 39.6
All courts
Males aged 21 or over 8.0 8.1 7.9 8.3 8.5
Females aged 21 or over 3.4 4.0 4.3 4.5 5.2
1There is no direct equivalent to indictable offences in Scotland. The figures in the table relate to all types of crimes and offences for which a charge was proved.
2Excludes life sentences, indeterminate retention and recalls.

Table C2: Percentage of persons with a charge1 proved in Scottish courts who were sentenced to custody, 1992 to 1996
Court type/gender 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Stipendiary Magistrates' courts
All offenders 19 22 22 18 16
All male offenders 19 23 22 19 16
Males aged 21 or over 22 25 23 20 18
Females aged 21 or over 19 21 26 18 16
District Court
All offenders 1 1 1 1 1
All male offenders 1 1 1 1 1
Males aged 21 or over 1 1 1 1 1
Females aged 21 or over 0 0 0 1 1
Sheriff Summary Court
All offenders 12 12 13 14 15
All male offenders 12 13 14 15 16
Males aged 21 or over 11 12 13 14 15
Females aged 21 or over 5 6 6 5 6

Table C2: Percentage of persons with a charge1 proved in Scottish courts who were sentenced to custody, 1992 to 1996
Court type/gender 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Sheriff Solemn Court
All offenders 58 61 64 65 68
All male offenders 60 64 66 67 71
Males aged 21 or over 62 65 68 70 74
Females aged 21 or over 20 30 29 37 38
High Court
All offenders 78 79 80 83 85
All male offenders 80 81 82 84 86
Males aged 21 or over 81 82 84 86 87
Females aged 21 or over 39 49 49 57 54
All courts
All offenders 8 9 10 10 11
All male offenders 9 11 11 12 12
Males aged 21 or over 9 10 10 11 12
Females aged 21 or over 3 4 5 4 4
1There is no direct equivalent to indictable offences in Scotland. The figures in the table relate to all types of crimes and offences for which a charge was proved.

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