Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975

416 Restriction on detention of person under 21

(1) No court shall impose detention on a person under 21 years of age, unless the court is of opinion that no other method of dealing with him is appropriate.

(2) For the purpose of determining in pursuance of the provisions of subsection (1) of this section whether any other method of dealing with a person mentioned therein is appropriate, the court shall obtain information about that person's circumstances from an officer of a local authority or otherwise and shall consider that information ; and the court shall take into account any information before it which is relevant to his character and to his physical and mental condition.

(3) Where a court imposes detention on an offender under 21 years of age, the court shall state the reason for its opinion that no other method of dealing with him is appropriate, and the reason shall be entered in the record of the proceedings along with the finding and sentence.

(4) Where in the case of a person who is of or over 16 years of age but less than 21 years of age the court is of opinion as aforesaid, and either—

(a) if the person has been convicted of an offence punishable with imprisonment, is satisfied, having considered all the circumstances of the case, that neither a sentence of Borstal training nor a sentence of detention in a detention centre should be imposed; or

(b) would have power but for this section to impose imprisonment otherwise than by sentence;

it shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, instead of imposing a term of imprisonment upon him impose detention in a young offenders institution for a term not exceeding the term for which he could have been imprisoned.

(5) For the purposes of any reference in this section to a term of imprisonment or to a term of detention in a young offenders institution, consecutive terms and terms which are wholly or partly concurrent shall be treated as a single term.