13.11 Age at First Custodial Sentence
Between 57 - 67 percent of female sentenced inmates experienced their first custodial sentence when aged from 17 to 29 years. Again, the small numbers of female inmates means no significant or obvious trends in the age at first custodial sentence profile for female sentenced inmates are evident since 1991.
Table 13-19 Age at first custodial sentence for sentenced females (percent)
|
Age |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
Under 17 |
8.6 |
6.1 |
6.6 |
3.9 |
4.1 |
2.0 |
4.3 |
|
17 - 19 |
18.1 |
25.3 |
21.2 |
23.2 |
21.3 |
24.2 |
18.8 |
|
20 - 24 |
29.1 |
18.3 |
23.2 |
23.2 |
25.4 |
26.1 |
23.0 |
|
25 - 29 |
18.1 |
14.8 |
18.5 |
16.4 |
18.8 |
17.6 |
16.0 |
|
30 - 24 |
15.7 |
13.0 |
12.6 |
14.5 |
13.7 |
8.5 |
12.1 |
|
35 - 39 |
7.1 |
7.0 |
7.3 |
6.8 |
6.6 |
11.1 |
12.1 |
|
40 - 49 |
2.4 |
13.0 |
8.6 |
6.3 |
8.1 |
7.2 |
9.0 |
|
50 + |
0.8 |
2.6 |
2.0 |
5.8 |
2.0 |
3.3 |
4.7 |
|
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
The proportion of male sentenced inmates who received their first custodial sentence when aged less than 17 years decreased from 20 percent in 1991 to 6 percent in 2003. It is likely that policy changes affecting the management of youth offenders is involved here. The proportion of males receiving their first custodial sentence aged between 17 and 19 years was 35 percent in 2003, the same proportion as that recorded a decade earlier. The proportion of male sentenced inmates who received their first custodial sentence when they were aged 40 years or older increased from 6 percent in 1991 to 12 percent in 2003.
Table 13-20 Age at first custodial sentence for sentenced males (percent)
|
Age |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
Under 17 |
19.7 |
17.7 |
13.5 |
12.7 |
7.5 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
|
17 - 19 |
35.0 |
32.5 |
34.1 |
34.8 |
37.1 |
36.4 |
35.3 |
|
20 - 24 |
21.0 |
21.5 |
22.5 |
22.1 |
23.9 |
26.0 |
23.2 |
|
25 - 29 |
9.0 |
9.7 |
9.9 |
9.6 |
11.0 |
11.7 |
11.1 |
|
30 - 24 |
5.8 |
4.9 |
5.7 |
6.7 |
6.3 |
6.7 |
6.9 |
|
35 - 39 |
3.3 |
4.1 |
4.4 |
4.2 |
4.4 |
4.8 |
5.2 |
|
40 - 49 |
4.0 |
5.8 |
5.8 |
5.8 |
4.9 |
5.0 |
7.4 |
|
50 + |
2.3 |
3.7 |
4.0 |
4.2 |
4.9 |
3.4 |
4.9 |
|
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |