§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) juveniles and (b) young offenders are covered by probation orders; what the average (i) length of such orders and (ii) frequency of contact with a designated probation officer is, for each of the last 12 months; how many breaches there have been of such orders; and if he will make a statement. [2100]
§ Beverley HughesThe number of juveniles1 starting community rehabilitation orders (formerly probation orders) in 1999, supervised by the Probation Service, was 2,443; the number of young offenders2 starting community rehabilitation orders in 1999, supervised by the Probation Service, was 9,772.
The average length of community rehabilitation orders starting in 1999 was 14.99 months for juveniles and 16.25 months for young offenders.
In 1999, breach proceedings were taken in court against 306 juveniles and 2,359 young offenders on community rehabilitation orders for failure to comply with their orders.
National standards require at least 12 appointments within the first 12 weeks of supervision, normally once a week and one of which will be a home visit. A minimum of six appointments is required over the following 12 weeks, and thereafter contact should be no less than monthly.
1Offenders aged 16 to 17.
2Offenders aged 18 to 20.