HC Deb 10 November 2003 vol 413 cc123-4W
Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent two-year reoffending rate was for offenders leaving young offender institutions. [135865]

Paul Goggins

Reconviction is used as a proxy measure for reoffending. The latest two-year `un-adjusted' reconviction rates for young offenders discharged from custody was 73 per cent., for those released in 1998. The rates in the preceding years were 71 per cent., 70 per cent., 71 per cent., 72 per cent., 72 per cent., 71 per cent., 74 per cent., 75 per cent., 76 per cent., 75 per cent. and 75 per cent. between 1987 and 1997 respectively. These rates are published in "Prison Statistics–England and Wales 2001".

Under 18s in custody—England and Wales
1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003
Prison Service establishment 2,480 2,465 2,420 2,435 2,435 2,605 2,290
Local Authority Secure Children's Homes LASCHs 110 125 125 220 295 300 310
Secure Training Centres (STCs) n/a n/a n/a 115 115 120 190

Source

Data for Prison Service establishments is as at end June, apart from the figure for 2003 which is as at end April. Data for LASCH is from DfES and is as at end March. Data for Secure Training Centres is from the Youth justice Board and is as at end April. Figures for 1997, 1998 and 1999 are not held centrally. All numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.

Ian Lucas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders from North Wales below the age of 15 years who were sentenced to custody were not immediately placed in a local authority secure community home in the last three years for which figures are available. [136017]

Paul Goggins

The Youth Justice Board is responsible for the commissioning and purchasing of secure accommodation for under 18s and for the placement of individual offenders.

In the three years to 31 October 2003, all sentenced young offenders of under 15 years of age were immediately placed either in a local authority secure children's home or in a secure training centre.

Ian Lucas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where young offenders below the age of 15 from North Wales are placed if sentenced to custody and no local authority community home place is available. [136019]

Paul Goggins

The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales is responsible for the commissioning and purchasing of secure accommodation for under 18s and for the placement of individual offenders in the juvenile secure estate. Where no place is available in a local authority secure children's home, a sentenced young offender from England or Wales below the age of 15 is placed in any of the three Secure Training Centres—Rainsbrook, Medway or Hassockfield.

Mr. Grieve

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are detained in young offenders' institutions claiming to be aged between 15 to 17-years-old whose age has not been independently verified; and if he will make a statement. [136251]

Paul Goggins

The courts are responsible for establishing the ages of young people who appear before them. Custodial establishments do not repeat the checks courts make. We are not aware of any sentences inappropriate to a person's age having been passed; if such a case was found it would be referred to the court.

Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many under 18s were in gaol in each year since 1997; and how many were in youth detention centres and other correctional establishments. [132939]

Paul Goggins

The information on the number of under 18s who were in Prison Service establishments, Local Authority Secure Children's Homes and Secure Training Centres is given in the table.

Under 18s in custody—England and Wales