§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 10 to 17-year-olds were convicted of offences involving(a) supply and (b) possession of illegal drugs; and how many of such offences involved Class A drugs in the last five years for which figures are available. [79209]
§ Mr. BoatengInformation taken from the Home Office Court Appearance Databases is given in the table.
Persons aged 10–17 years convicted at all courts of certain drug offences 1, England and Wales, 1993–97 Offence 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug Total2 73 108 119 125 148 of which, class A: Number 44 47 38 37 49 Per cent. 60 44 32 30 33 Having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply Total2 89 109 150 194 197 of which, class A: Number 30 30 43 62 58 Per cent. 34 28 29 32 29 Having possession of a controlled drug Total2 553 828 992 1,191 1,454 of which, class A: Number 64 105 126 134 164 Per cent. 12 13 13 11 11 1Based on principal offence 2 Total [= 100 per. cent]
§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of offences were committed by persistent young offenders in the last five years for which figures are available; [79206]
(2) how many offences were committed by persistent young offenders in the last five years for which figures are available. [79207]
604W
§ Mr. BoatengIt is not possible to determine the proportion and number of offences committed by persistent young offenders. It is, however, possible to estimate the proportion of convictions for standard list offences that are accounted for by those aged 10 to 17 with three or more previous court appearances for such offences.
The table contains the relevant available information based on samples of offenders sentenced in the years 1993 to 1997.
Percentage of convictions 1 for standard list offences 2 accounted for by offenders aged 10–17 with three or more previous court appearances for such offences Percentage of those convicted aged 10–17 Percentage of all convictions 1997 22 3 1997 old basis3 22 3 1996 20 2 1996 old basis3 20 3 1995 21 3 1994 21 3 1993 25 3 1 Counting one conviction per court appearance 2 Standard list offences consist of all indictable offences and some of the more serious summary offences 3 Excluding standard list offences added to the list on 1 January 1996 The Government's definition of a persistent young offender is: a young person aged 10–17 who has been sentenced by any criminal court in the United Kingdom on three or more separate occasions for one or more recordable offence, and within three years of the last sentencing occasion is subsequently arrested or has information against him for a further recordable offence. In this context, "recordable" means the class of offences that must be recorded on the Police National Computer. This class of offences is generally broader than the "standard list". This means that the percentages quoted above relate to a category of persistent young offenders that is more restrictive than the Government definition. It should also be noted that it is not possible to determine the percentage of convictions and cautions accounted for by this group.
§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed by 10 to 17-years-old offenders(a) in total and (b) as a proportion of all offences in the last five years for which figures are available. [79208]
§ Mr. BoatengIt is not possible to present a full picture of the offences committed by young people aged 10 to 17 because much crime is not reported and not all reported crime is cleared up. The best indicator we have of youth crime is the number of young people known to have been involved in offending, that is, who have been cautioned by the police for, or convicted by the courts of, a crime.
The available information, as given in the table, is taken from the Home Office Cautions and Court Proceedings Databases. 605W
Number of offenders aged 10–17 years cautioned or convicted of all offences as a proportion of all offenders, England and Wales, 1993–1997 Thousand Offenders aged 10–17 All offenders1 (=100%) Number Percentage 1993 1,736.6 176.9 10 1994 21,733.1 186.7 11 1995 21,721.0 188.4 11 1996 21,727.0 187.8 11 1997 1,667.9 183.6 11 1 Includes 'others' ie public bodies, companies etc. 2 Figures adjusted to take account of shortfalls in the provision of data on magistrates' courts proceedings.