NCJ Number
82512
Date Published
1981
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Comments from various organizations pertaining to the British Government's White Paper on Young Offenders are reviewed.
Abstract
Comments from the 14 organizations considered indicate a general feeling of disappointment and of opportunities missed in the paper. Much of the response focused on proposals for juvenile offenders (those under age 17). The proposals are as follows: (1) where a juvenile already in the care of a local authority as an offender is found guilty of a further imprisonable offense, power should be given the court to add a residential care order (RCO), with the effect that for a fixed period not exceeding 6 months the juvenile is not allowed to remain at home; (2) the detention center should be retained for male offenders aged 14 and 17, but with shorter maximum and minimum periods of detention; (3) the courts should have power to impose medium term sentences of custody on offenders aged 15 or 16 (now liable to be sentenced to borstal training); (4) the court should be able, on the recommendation of the supervising officer, to specify the program of activities a juvenile undertakes in the community; (5) probation and aftercare committees should have the power to provide intermediate treatment facilities, consistent with proper coordination of local arrangements; (6) the juvenile courts should be able to impose community service orders on offenders aged 16; and (7) there should be a clarification and strengthening of the measures which enable the courts to make parents pay the fines of juveniles or to enter into recognizances. Organizations leveled various criticisms at these proposals.