Children who break Asbos get longer sentences than adults

According to figures released by the Liberal Democrats, nearly half the children who breach Asbos are sent to prison - and their average sentence is significantly longer than that of adults who break Asbos.

The figures, contained in a Parliamentary Answer, showed how: ·

• Nearly 1,000 (986) children were sent to prison for breaching an ASBO between 2000 and 2006
• 42% of all children who breached an ASBO were sent to prison
• The average sentence given to them was 6.4 months
• The average sentence given to adults who breached an ASBO was just 4.9 months
• The number of children in prison in July 1997 was 2,643. By July 2007, this figure was 3,013 (in April 2008 that figure was 3,012). This is a 14% increase since Labour came to power

For comment on this by Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne, click here

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