House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 31 Jan 2001 (pt 6)

Young Offenders

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his target date is for achieving the Government's pledge of halving the national average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders; what progress has been made; and when he expects the target to be achieved. [148064]

Mr. Charles Clarke: In 1996 the average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders was 142 days. Working with the local youth justice services,

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the Government's target is to halve this by March 2002. Substantial progress has already been made--the national average fell to an estimated 94 days by October 2000.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many offenders under the age of 18 years were sentenced in (a) the magistrates court, (b) the youth court and (c) the Crown court, broken down by type of sentence, indicating in particular how many were given a (i) absolute discharge, (ii) conditional discharge, (iii) fine, (iv) community sentence and (v) custodial sentence in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [147604]

(a)

(b)

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Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 29 January 2001]: Available information, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, showing the number of offenders aged under 18 years sentenced and the sentences imposed in (i) the magistrates court, (ii) the youth court and (iii) the Crown court are given in the tables for the period 1995 to 1999 (the most recent year for which data are available).

The custodial and non-custodial disposals available to the youth court, and the number of occasions each type of disposal has been used over the past five years by the youth court are also listed in the tables. A number of new orders became available for juveniles in 2000. A new custodial order, the Detention and Training Order was introduced on 1 April 2000 and replaces the secure training order (for 12 to 14-year-olds) and detention in a Young Offender Institution (for 15 to 17-year-olds). New non-custodial disposals, the reparation order and the action plan order, were introduced in June 2000.

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Table A: Number of offenders aged 10-17 sentenced at the magistrates court, broken down by type of sentence,England and Wales, 1995-99

1995 1996 1997 1998⁽⁶⁾ 1999⁽⁶⁾

Total Sentenced 5,365 5,348 5,301 5,613 5,516

Absolute Discharge 87 91 85 87 70

Conditional Discharge 1,799 1,834 1,805 1,938 1,967

Fine 2,101 2,234 2,056 2,137 2,062

Probation Order 141 100 129 140 122

Supervision Order 383 323 362 409 379

Community Service Order 182 151 195 177 176

Attendance Centre Order 214 191 214 267 269

Combination Order 68 49 68 59 69

Curfew Order ⁽⁷⁾-- 2 1 5 11

Total Community Sentence⁽⁸⁾ 988 816 969 1,057 1,026

Secure Training Order ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- 4 5

Young Offender Institution 202 202 209 219 191

Total Immediate Custody⁽⁹⁾ 202 202 209 223 196

Otherwise Dealt With⁽¹⁰⁾ 188 171 177 171 195

	1995	1996	1997	1998⁽⁶⁾	1999⁽⁶⁾
Total Sentenced	5,365	5,348	5,301	5,613	5,516
Absolute Discharge	87	91	85	87	70
Conditional Discharge	1,799	1,834	1,805	1,938	1,967
Fine	2,101	2,234	2,056	2,137	2,062
Probation Order	141	100	129	140	122
Supervision Order	383	323	362	409	379
Community Service Order	182	151	195	177	176
Attendance Centre Order	214	191	214	267	269
Combination Order	68	49	68	59	69
Curfew Order	⁽⁷⁾--	2	1	5	11
Total Community Sentence⁽⁸⁾	988	816	969	1,057	1,026
Secure Training Order	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	4	5
Young Offender Institution	202	202	209	219	191
Total Immediate Custody⁽⁹⁾	202	202	209	223	196
Otherwise Dealt With⁽¹⁰⁾	188	171	177	171	195

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Table B: Number of offenders aged 10-17 sentenced at the youth court, broken down by type of sentence,England and Wales, 1995-99

1995 1996 1997 1998⁽⁶⁾ 1999⁽⁶⁾

Total Sentenced 59,470 65,345 38,869 75,907 79,883

Absolute Discharge 558 716 772 716 662

Conditional Discharge 20,479 21,508 22,308 23,986 24,649

Fine 12,258 14,707 16,376 18,887 18,609

Probation Order 1,820 2,235 2,405 2,700 2,813

Supervision Order 9,300 10,013 10,068 11,158 11,442

Community Service Order 2,974 3,269 3,435 3,604 4,114

Attendance Centre Order 6,376 6,366 6,569 6,965 7,542

Combination Order 798 1,127 1,354 1,523 1,625

Curfew Order ⁽⁷⁾-- 11 36 149 300

Total Community Sentence⁽⁸⁾ 21,268 23,021 23,867 26,099 27,836

Secure Training Order ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- 94 173

Young Offender Institution 3,592 3,900 3,920 4,198 4,560

Total Immediate Custody⁽⁹⁾ 3,592 3,900 3,920 4,292 4,733

Otherwise Dealt With⁽¹⁰⁾ 1,315 1,493 1,626 1,927 3,394

	1995	1996	1997	1998⁽⁶⁾	1999⁽⁶⁾
Total Sentenced	59,470	65,345	38,869	75,907	79,883
Absolute Discharge	558	716	772	716	662
Conditional Discharge	20,479	21,508	22,308	23,986	24,649
Fine	12,258	14,707	16,376	18,887	18,609
Probation Order	1,820	2,235	2,405	2,700	2,813
Supervision Order	9,300	10,013	10,068	11,158	11,442
Community Service Order	2,974	3,269	3,435	3,604	4,114
Attendance Centre Order	6,376	6,366	6,569	6,965	7,542
Combination Order	798	1,127	1,354	1,523	1,625
Curfew Order	⁽⁷⁾--	11	36	149	300
Total Community Sentence⁽⁸⁾	21,268	23,021	23,867	26,099	27,836
Secure Training Order	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	94	173
Young Offender Institution	3,592	3,900	3,920	4,198	4,560
Total Immediate Custody⁽⁹⁾	3,592	3,900	3,920	4,292	4,733
Otherwise Dealt With⁽¹⁰⁾	1,315	1,493	1,626	1,927	3,394

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Table C: Number of offenders aged 10-17 sentenced at the Crown court, broken down by type of sentence,England and Wales, 1995-99

1995 1996 1997 1998⁽⁶⁾ 1999⁽⁶⁾

Total Sentenced 2,965 3,904 4,922 4,774 4,761

Absolute Discharge 4 7 4 6 6

Conditional Discharge 116 113 144 136 110

Hospital Order Mental Health Act 1983 S37(1) 2 4 7 12 11

Restriction Order Mental Health Act 1983 S41 1 -- -- 1 --

Fine 21 21 28 26 24

Probation Order 194 197 192 244 245

Supervision Order 460 580 819 867 858

Community Service Order 272 299 389 368 380

Attendance Centre Order 69 74 79 72 62

Combination Order 87 136 215 233 207

Curfew Order ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- 1 9

Total Community Sentence⁽⁸⁾ 1,082 1,286 1,694 1,785 1,761

Detained Under S.53 Children and Young Person Act 1933 401 635 748 603 631

Secure Training Order ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- ⁽⁷⁾-- 4 17

Young Offender Institution 1,269 1,760 2,206 2,095 2,076

Total Immediate Custody⁽⁹⁾ 1,670 2,395 2,954 2,702 2,724

Otherwise Dealt With⁽¹⁰⁾ 69 78 91 106 125

	1995	1996	1997	1998⁽⁶⁾	1999⁽⁶⁾
Total Sentenced	2,965	3,904	4,922	4,774	4,761
Absolute Discharge	4	7	4	6	6
Conditional Discharge	116	113	144	136	110
Hospital Order Mental Health Act 1983 S37(1)	2	4	7	12	11
Restriction Order Mental Health Act 1983 S41	1	--	--	1	--
Fine	21	21	28	26	24
Probation Order	194	197	192	244	245
Supervision Order	460	580	819	867	858
Community Service Order	272	299	389	368	380
Attendance Centre Order	69	74	79	72	62
Combination Order	87	136	215	233	207
Curfew Order	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	1	9
Total Community Sentence⁽⁸⁾	1,082	1,286	1,694	1,785	1,761
Detained Under S.53 Children and Young Person Act 1933	401	635	748	603	631
Secure Training Order	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	⁽⁷⁾--	4	17
Young Offender Institution	1,269	1,760	2,206	2,095	2,076
Total Immediate Custody⁽⁹⁾	1,670	2,395	2,954	2,702	2,724
Otherwise Dealt With⁽¹⁰⁾	69	78	91	106	125

⁽⁶⁾ Orders under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (examples include Reparation Order, Action Plan Order, Parenting Order and Drug Treatment and Testing Order), were piloted in selected areas in late 1998 and 1999, and are recorded as 'otherwise dealt with'.

⁽⁷⁾ Not applicable.

⁽⁸⁾ Community Sentence comprises: Probation Order, Supervision Order, Community Service Order, Attendance Centre Order, Combination Order and Curfew Order.

⁽⁹⁾ Immediate Custody comprises: Secure Training Order and Young Offender Institution.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Otherwise Dealt With includes: Compensation, Hospital or Guardianship Order under the Mental Health Act 1983, Police Cells, Recognizance, Parents to pay fine or compensation or costs, Parents bound over etc.

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Disposals available to the youth court for offenders aged 10-17, England and Wales, 1995-99
Non-custodial
Absolute Discharge
Conditional Discharge
Fine
Probation order
Supervision Order
Community Service Order
Attendance Centre Order
Combination Order
Curfew Order
Custodial
Secure Training Order
Young Offender Institution
Otherwise Dealt With ¹
¹ Includes Compensation, Hospital or Guardianship Order under the Mental Health Act 1983, Police Cells, Recognizance, Parents to pay fine or compensation or costs, Parents bound over etc.

Professional Witnesses

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the use of professional witnesses to gather information; what his estimate is of the increased use of such witnesses since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [148065]

Mr. Straw: The report "Speaking up for Justice", published in June 1998, recommended that good practice guidelines for the use of professional witnesses in criminal cases should be developed by the Local Government Association in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers. We hope to be in a position to issue such guidelines shortly.

I understand that records are not kept of the number of occasions on which professional witnesses are used.

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Anti-Social Behaviour Orders

Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued to date in respect of (a) juveniles and (b) adults; how many are in force; and if he will make a statement. [148073]

Mr. Charles Clarke: At least 150 anti-social behaviour orders have been made since the provision came into force on 1 April 1999. Since the minimum duration of an order is two years, and we are not aware of any orders being discharged, we understand that all of these remain in force.

It is not possible from the figures available to give an exact breakdown between adults and juveniles. We are, however, aware of at least 50 orders which have been made against persons under 18.

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