Criminal justice statistics quarterly: March 2014
Trends in activity in the criminal justice system from April 2013 to March 2014.
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The reports present key statistics on activity in the criminal justice system (CJS) for England and Wales. It provides information for the latest 12 months (April 2013 to March 2014) with accompanying commentary, analysis and presentation of longer term trends.
The main findings are:
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the total number of individuals (which includes people and companies) dealt with formally by the CJS in England and Wales has been declining since 2007
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the use of out of court disposals has decreased in the last year by 13%, down to 318,500 in the latest 12 month period
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in the latest 12 month period 1.41 million defendants were proceeded against, a 4% decrease compared to the previous year
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the conviction ratio has remained relatively steady since year ending March 2009 -following on from an increase in the 5 years preceding this
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the custody rate for indictable offences (27%) is the highest in the decade and has increased in each of the last 3 years
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the average custodial sentence length (ACSL) has increased over the last decade, particularly in the last year – up to 15.5 months in the latest 12 month period
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the number and proportion of convicted offenders who have long criminal histories has increased over the last 10 years, whereas the number of new entrants to the criminal justice system has fallen.
The bulletin is produced and handled by the ministry’s analytical professionals and production staff. Pre-release access of up to 24 hours is granted to the following persons.
Ministry of Justice
Secretary of State for Justice; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation; Minister of State for Policing, Criminal Justice and Victims; Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid; Permanent Secretary; 2 special advisers; 2 Director Generals, Corporate Performance Group; Director, Crime; Director, Analytical Services; Director, Sentencing and Rehabilitation; senior policy official, Sentencing and Youth Policy; policy official, Sentencing; policy official, Out of court disposals; policy official, Youth justice; Head of News; senior press officer; 3 further press officers; 2 private secretaries; 7 assistant private secretaries.
Home Office
Home Secretary; Permanent Secretary; Director of Crime; 1 press officer; Chief Statistician; 3 private secretaries.
The Judiciary
Lord Chief Justice; Head of Lord Chief Justice’s Criminal Justice Team.
Other
Attorney General; policy official, Cabinet Office.
Last updated 19 November 2014 + show all updates
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Overview and Out of court disposals tables have been amended as the figures had been swapped for Northamptonshire and Northumbria.
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First published.