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15 Mar 2004 : Column 146W—continued
Restorative Justice
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether restorative justice is used within the justice system; [155338]
- (2) what research he has conducted into the (a) effectiveness and (b) viability of restorative justice. [155337]
Paul Goggins: Restorative justice brings victims (who wish it) and offenders into a process of managed communication in order to repair the harm caused by the offence.
It is an integral part of a number of interventions in the youth justice system. Final Warnings are increasingly administered restoratively and Referral Orders, rolled out nationally in April 2002, are based on restorative principles.
In the adult justice system, several police forces facilitate restorative cautions and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 will introduce the new conditional caution, planned for use later this year, which police will be able to administer restoratively. Work has also been carried out in a number of probation areas and in several prisons.
The Government are keen to build on these developments.
There is already strong evidence that victims benefit; studies suggest that at least 75 per cent. of victims who take part in restorative justice are glad they did so. Research into the Referral Order has shown that victims' experiences were "overwhelmingly positive".
International studies and early evidence from the United Kingdom about the effects on re-offending is encouraging but inconclusive. There is a need for further research, in particular regarding the effects for different offence types. This is why, as part of the Crime Reduction Programme, the Home Office funded three pilot schemes to test the effectiveness of restorative
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justice for adults at various stages of the criminal justice system. The first report of an independent evaluation of these schemes is planned for Autumn 2004 with a final report in 2007.
The Home Office is also developing a research project to evaluate restorative justice as a diversion from prosecution. This is planned to commence in 2004.
Robert Dymond
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when transport will be provided to convey Robert Dymond from HMP Altcourse to HMP Guys Marsh; and if he will make a statement. [157401]
Paul Goggins [holding answer 1 March 2004]: I have been assured that Mr. Dymond will be transferred to HMP Guys Marsh during week commencing 8 March 2004.
Arrangements had been made to transfer Mr. Dymond to HMP Guys Marsh week commencing 9 February, however due to continuing population pressures and the need to redirect transport to help ease these pressures in the north west the transfer was postponed.
Sentencing Guidelines Council
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the (a) work and (b) effectiveness of the Sentencing Guidelines Council will be assessed. [159807]
Paul Goggins: The Sentencing Guidelines Council has only just been established. In the longer term we expect to see evidence of its effectiveness in terms of greater consistency in sentencing.
The Government believes that prison should be reserved for serious, dangerous and seriously persistent offenders, and that others are better punished in the community. The Council's work will lead to greater consistency in sentencing , and to a rebalancing between the use of custody and community sentences. As early priorities, the Council will formulate guidelines on sexual offences and on the new generic community sentence. More consistent and effective sentencing should in turn lead to a reduction in re-offending.
Shaw Inquiry Reports
Mr. Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the reports of the inquiries by Steven Shaw into (a) allegations of racism among Group 4/Global Solutions staff at the Yarl's Wood detention centre and (b) the lessons learned from the Yarl's Wood fire. [159608]
Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) on 2 March 2004, Official Report, column 906W.
Supervision and Monitoring Schemes
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what areas intensive supervision and monitoring schemes will be implemented. [159805]
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Paul Goggins: Currently there are 14 Intensive Supervision and Monitoring Schemes (ISMs) running in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Grimsby, Hastings, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham and Stoke funded or part-funded by the National Probation Service until March 2004.
The proposals contained in Reducing Crime—Changing Lives and the provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 will shape the way work with persistent offenders is developed in the future. Many elements of the ISMs will satisfy the requirements of the new generic sentence, and will also contribute to Custody Minus, Intermittent Custody and other intensive interventions such as the Intensive Control and Change Programme.
Future plans to work with persistent offenders will also be incorporated into the regional resettlement strategies which are currently being developed.
Travellers (Photographic Images)
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for how long and where photographic images of travellers using (a) Dover Docks and (b) other ports are stored; and to what purpose they are put; [157698]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the use of cameras to photograph travellers using (a) Dover Docks and (b) other ports; [157699]
(3) how many people are employed in taking, processing, reviewing and storing photographic images stored of travellers using (a) Dover Docks and (b) other ports; and by whom they are employed; [157700]
(4) when he expects to reply to the letter of 15 January from the hon. Member for Spelthorne, (Home Office reference: PO2079/4) regarding the use of cameras to photograph travellers at Dover Docks. [157701]
Beverley Hughes: The police and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise (HMCE) have a key role in combating organised crime at ports, including terrorism. Kent Police and HMCE jointly operate a frontier control Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) system at some Kent ports. This system "reads" the vehicle registrations of passing vehicles, and, at various key locations within the port, captures passing vehicles and drivers on camera. The system is automatic and entails no physical human intervention.
The system is operated with due regard to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidance on the operation of ANPR, and within the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Images are retained for one year. In the interest of operational security I am unable to release information about where the images are stored.
The ANPR system is administered by three dedicated staff: (two from Her Majesty Customs and one from Kent Police). Two other Kent Police staff are dedicated to the technical maintenance of the system. In addition to the ANPR system, Her Majesty's Customs and
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Excise use Closed Circuit Television to assist in cases of complaint against the actions of officers and in cases of assault on their officers.
Images of travellers are kept for a limited period only, normally a week, unless there is reason to keep them for evidential purposes.
Westminster Hall
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to have senior Ministers reply to debates in Westminster Hall. [159623]
Mr. Blunkett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Leader of the House on 8 March 2004, Official Report, column 1234W.
Young Offenders
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent figures are for the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds who have (a) been in custody and (b) served a period of community service who subsequently (i) re-offend and (ii) are reconvicted. [159511]
Paul Goggins: Data on reoffending are not available.
78 per cent. of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds discharged from custody in 1999 were reconvicted of a standard list offence within two years.
76 per cent. of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds commencing community sentences in 1999 were reconvicted of a standard list offence within two years.
The reconviction rates supplied are not adjusted to take out convictions for offences committed prior to either discharge from custody or commencement of the community sentence. Hence some of these reconvictions may not represent reoffending subsequent to custodial discharge or commencement of community sentence.
Reconviction rates should not be used to compare effectiveness between different sentences. This is because the characteristics of offenders receiving different types of sentences may be quite different.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the place of education within young offenders' institutions. [158730]
Paul Goggins: In order to have an impact on reducing re-offending, the disproportionately low skills and exclusion from learning among young people coming into custody must be addressed. The Prison Service aims to equip all offenders with the skills to enhance their employability—providing them with an alternative to crime—and to enable them to make a positive contribution to society.
Additional money has been invested this year in learning for young offenders aged 18. The Prison Service is looking to Heads of Learning and Skills in
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each establishment to promote a culture of learning so that we can continue to widen access and improve quality.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what opportunities exist for young offenders to obtain educational (a) qualifications and (b) accreditation. [158731]
Paul Goggins: Every Young Offender Institution has an education department which is required to offer mainstream qualifications as delivered in community settings. Most of these are divided into modules enabling short-term prisoners to work towards a full qualification, which can then be completed upon their release. Literacy and numeracy are assessed using a national test that is available weekly.
This year, additional funding of over £4 million has been provided to enable the Young Offender and female estate to buy in and support more teaching hours. Heads of Learning and Skills in each Young Offender Institute are helping to increase accredited learning opportunities across the range of activities such as vocational training, supported by £20 million of capital investment through our "learning to earning" programme.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has made to (a) assess the extent of and (b) treat gambling among offenders, with particular reference to young offenders. [158346]
Paul Goggins: The new adult Offender Assessment System, (OASys,) developed jointly by the Prison and Probation Services and currently being rolled-out, contains a question on budgeting that provides offenders with an opportunity to raise matters about financial difficulties related to gambling. In addition, OASys contains a self-assessment questionnaire for offenders that includes a question asking whether gambling is a problem for them and, if so, whether it is linked to their offending. Analysis of a sample of self-assessments in 2003 for 711 prisoners showed that 2 per cent. said that gambling was a problem and 0.4 per cent. said it was linked to their offending. A sample of about 2,200 offenders under probation showed that 2.3 per cent. said that gambling was a problem and 0.7 per cent. said it was linked to their offending.
The Youth Justice Board uses a separate assessment system for juvenile offenders (aged under 18 years) called ASSET, which provides an opportunity to detail any problems that should be highlighted and this could include gambling.
Treatment for offenders with gambling problems, whether adults, young offenders or juveniles, is left to the discretion of individual prisons, young offender institutions, probation areas and youth offending teams. A number have established links with organisations such as Gamblers Anonymous and GamCare to provide assistance for offenders with gambling addiction problems, by individual referrals or through groups. Probation areas may also make referrals to Gordon House, a specialist hostel for gamblers.