Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on the Breakdown of Male Offenders Punished by Judicial Caning Since 2012

Question:

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs since 2012 (a) how many men have been arrested for serious offences punishable by judicial caning; (b) how many were under the age of 50 at the time of the offence; (c) how many were under the age of 50 at the time of the offence but subsequently over 50 years of age (i) at the time of arrest and (ii) at the time of sentencing; and (d) of the numbers in (c), how many respectively involved sexual offences.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1.   The numbers for the entire length of the time period requested by the Member are not readily available.

2.   Based on available data from January 2020 to November 2022, 2,234 men were arrested for serious sexual and serious hurt offences that attract the punishment of caning. These offences include rape, sexual assault, sexual penetration of minors, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, and culpable homicide.

3.   Of this number, 1,906 were at or under the age of 50 when they committed the offence. Of this number, 21 were above 50 years old when they were arrested. Out of these 21 male offenders, 17 were involved in sexual offences.

4.   We do not have readily available data of male offenders who were below 50 years old at the time of the offence but crossed 50 years of age by the time of sentencing.