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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1976
DETENTION CENTRES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976
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YOUNG ADULT OFFENDERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 21 AND 24 WILL BE LIABLE TO BE SENTENCED TO DETENTION IN A DETENTION CENTRE IF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE IS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THE DETENTION CENTRES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976 SEEKS TO EXTEND FROM 20 TO 24 THE MAXIMUM AGE AT WHICH AN OFFENDER MAY BE SENTENCED TO A DETENTION CENTRE, AND PROVIDE FOR DETENTION FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS AND A MAXIMUM PERIOD OF 12 YONTHS FOR DETAINEES IN THE NEW 21-24 AGE GROUP.
DETAINEES UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE ON THE DATE OF THE DETENTION ORDER WILL CONTINUE TO BE LIABLE TO DETENTION FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF ONE MONTH AND A MAXIMUM PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT DURING THE PAST FOUR YEARS THERE HAD BEEN A NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE AGE RANGE OF PERSONS ADMITTED TO PRISONS DEPARTMENT INSTITUTIONS FOLLOWING CONVICTION OF CRIMES OF VIOLENCE.
+ IN 1972, 53.6 PER CENT OF THOSE ADMITTED FOR VIOLENCE CRIMES WERE AGED UNDER 21 AND 24 PER CENT WERE IN THE AGE RANGE OF 21 TO 24 YEARS, + HE SAID. IN 1975 THE PERCENTAGES WERE 33.8 AND 29.5 RESPECTIVELY.+
+ IN THE LIGHT OF THESE STATISTICS, TOGETHER WITH A REPORT BY A PRISONS DEPARTMENT WORK ING PARTY APPOINTED TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBLE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DETENTION CENTRES REGIME FOR DEAL ING WITH OFFENDERS AGED 21 AND OVER, IT IS INTENDED THAT THE UPPER AGE LIMIT FOR SENTENCE TO A DETENTION CENTRE SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO 24, HE SAID.
THE BILL ALSO SEEKS TO INCREASE FROM SIX TO 12 MONTHS THE MAXIMUM PERIOD OF SUPERVISION TO WHICH A DETAINEE IS LIABLE AFTER EEING RELEASED FROM A DETENTION CENTRE.
ANOTHER PROVISION WILL ENABLE A PERSON RECALLED TO A DETENTION CENTRE FOR BREACH OF HIS SUPERVISION ORDER TO BE SUBJECTED TO FURTHER SUPERVISION AFTER HIS NEXT RELEASE.
ANOTHER PART OF THE BILL SEEKS TO EMPOWER THE COURTS TO MAKE A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT DETENTION ORDER AGAINST AN OFFENDER WHO HAD ALREADY UNDERGONE A PERIOD OF DETENTION.
+ IT IS HOPED THAT THE PROSPECT OF FURTHER DETENTION WOULD HAVE A STRONG DETERRENT VALUE AND WOULD REDUCE RECIDIVISM AMONG YOUNG OFFENDERS STILL FURTHER,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE BILL ALSO PROPOSES TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE TRANSFER OF A DETAINEE TO A PRISON OR A TRAINING CENTRE AS APPROPRIATE SHOULD IT PROVE, DURING HIS DETENTION, THAT HE IS UNSUITABLE FOR DETENTION, EXERCISING A BAD INFLUENCE ON OTHER DETAINEES, OR INCORRIGIBLE,
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