HC Deb 11 March 2002 vol 381 cc710-1W
22. Mr. Lammy

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the numbers of young people serving custodial sentences in young offenders' institutions who come from deprived areas. [38895]

Beverley Hughes

While information about prisoners' home addresses prior to custody is not collected centrally, we know that many young prisoners have a multiplicity of serious problems and social exclusion. For some, prison can be the first chance to address the problems that contribute to their offending.

In the spring, the Social Exclusion Unit are to publish a report into how the Prison Service, the National Probation Service and other agencies can better tackle the problems, including social deprivation, that contribute to prisoners' offending and reduce their likelihood of re-offending on release. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library.

27. Mr. Best

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders in young offender institutions are fathers; and what the Prison Service is doing to ensure they maintain contact with their children. [38900]

Beverley Hughes

There are no centrally held statistics. However, recent research suggests that 25 per cent. of male young offenders and 39 per cent. of female young offenders are parents. The Prison Service recognises the importance of family ties to the rehabilitation of prisoners, and in particular the value of prisoners continuing their parental role while in custody. Young offender institutions have introduced programmes which support this process, including the appointment of family liaison officers, extended family visits and parenting skills courses. For low income families, the Assisted Prison Visits Unit provides financial support for the cost of visiting, or escorting children to visits.

37. Ms Munn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he issues on the proportion of youth offending team budgets to be devoted to preventative work. [38910]

Beverley Hughes

The aim of all youth offending team (Yot) spending is to prevnt offending. National standards issued by the Home Secretary in April 2000 state that a minimum of 2.5 per cent. of the Yot budget must be spent on preventive services for children and young people at high risk of offending. The remainder prevents offending by working with young people in the youth justice system who have admitted or been convicted of an offence.

Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has on the(a) numbers and (b) categories of young offenders broken down into those living with (i) a single parent and (ii) two married parents; [38423]

(2) what recent research he has evaluated on a link between young offenders and the incidence of families living on some form of state welfare support; [38432]

(3) what research he has commissioned on the link between young offenders and their family structures, with special reference to living with (a) never married parent,(b) single parents, (c) two married parents, (d) family members other than parents and (e) being adopted, in (i) the UK and (ii) in other countries. [39320]

Beverley Hughes

In last year's youth offending survey commissioned by the Youth Justice Board, 24 per cent. of young secondary school people in two parent households and 30 per cent. of those in one parent households admitted to an offence in the previous years.

However there was not a clear difference in repeat offending.

The Home Office and the Home Office-sponsored Youth Justice Board have commissioned a number of research studies into the causes of youth offending, including family background. Most recently, 19 November 2001, Communities That Care reported on risk and protective factors associated with youth crime for the Youth Justice Board. It showed that youth offending risks were increased by among other things family conflict, family structure, poor quality parental supervision and discipline, a poor relationship between the child and one or both parents and low family income. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.

We have not commissioned any specific research on the link between youth offending and families living on welfare support.