Criminal Justice Act 1982

15 Release of young offenders. E+W

(1) Subject to subsection (13) below, if subsection (2), (3) or (4) below applies to a person under 22 years of age who is released from a term of detention under a detention centre order or a term of youth custody, he shall be under the supervision of a probation officer or a social worker of a local authority social services department.

(2) This subsection applies to a person who was neither granted remission nor released on licence.

(3) This subsection applies to a person who was granted remission.

(4) This subsection applies to a person—

(a) who was under 21 years of age when sentence was passed on him; and

(b) who is released on licence; and

(c) whose licence expires less than 12 months after his release.

(5) The supervision period ends on the offender’s 22nd birthday if it has not ended before.

(6) Subject to subsection (5) above, where subsection (2) above applies, the supervision period begins on the offender’s release and ends 3 months from his release.

(7) Subject to subsection (5) above and to subsection (9) below, where subsection (3) above applies, the supervision period begins on the offender’s release and ends—

(a) 3 months from his release; or

(b) on the date on which his sentence would have expired if he had not been granted remission,

whichever is the later.

(8) Subject to subsection (5) above and to subsection (9) below, where subsection (4) above applies, the supervision period begins when the offender’s licence expires and ends on the date on which he would have been released if he had never been granted remission or released on licence.

(9) if the date mentioned in subsection (7)(b) or (8) above is more than 12 months from the date of the offender’s release, the supervision period ends 12 months from the date of his release.

(10) While a person is under supervision by virtue of this section, he shall comply with such requirements, if any, as may for the time being be specified in a notice from the Secretary of State.

(11) A person who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with a requirement imposed under subsection (10) above shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction—

(a) to a fine not exceeding [F1 level 3 on the standard scale]; or

(b) to an appropriate custodial sentence for a period not exceeding 30 days

[F2 but not liable to be dealt with in any other way].

(12) In subsection (11) above “appropriate custodial sentence” means—

(a) a sentence of imprisonment, if the offender has attained the age of 21 years when he is sentenced; and

(b) a detention centre order or a youth custody sentence, if he has not then attained that age.

(13) A person released from a custodial sentence passed under subsection (11) above shall not be liable to a period of supervision in consequence of his conviction under that subsection, but his conviction shall not prejudice any liability to supervision to which he was previously subject, and that liability shall accordingly continue until the end of the supervision period.

(14) In this section—

• “licence” means a licence under section 60 of the M1 Criminal Justice Act 1967; and

• “remission” means remission under rules made by virtue of section 47 of the M2 Prison Act 1952.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by virtue of Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46

F2 Words added as provided by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), s. 170, Sch. 8 para. 16, Sch. 15 para. 90

Marginal Citations

M1 1967 c. 80.

M2 1952 c. 52.