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Frequently Asked Questions
How much crime is committed in England and Wales ?That depends on how you measure it. According to Crime in England and Wales 2003/04, there were just under 1.4 million detected crimes in 2003/04. Some other crimes may have had a suspect identified, but did not meet definition of detected crime. The number of recorded detections in 2003/04 was up very slightly on 2002/03 figures (an increase of less than half a percentage point). If we consider both statistics from the British Crime Survey (BCS) and the numbers of crimes recorded by the police we can arguably arrive at a relatively more accurate account of the patterns and trends in the main high volume crimes. The BCS includes offences against private households only. Police statistics demonstrate trends in well-reported crimes, but the BCS offers a fuller estimate of crime in England and Wales, with its focus on unreported (and unrecorded) crime. There will inevitably be a discrepancy between the number of crimes recorded by the police and the number that measured by the BCS. According to BCS interviews conducted in 2003/04, there were approximately 11.7 million crimes against adults living in private households (a 5 per cent fall compared to 2002/03). The police recorded 5.9 million crimes recorded by the police in 2003/04 (a 1 percent increase of compared with 2002/03). Back to TopIs crime rising or falling ?While the number of crimes as measured by the British Crime Survey (BCS) increased progressively, broadly speaking, from 1981 to a peak in 1995, overall crime has fallen in each BCS survey since 1995. In the last year, overall crime has fallen by 5 percent according to the BCS.
However, there has been a 1 percent increase in the number of crimes recorded by
the police in 2003/04 compared with 2002/03. Back to TopWhat kinds of crime are decreasing, according to current evidence ?Property crime has fallen considerably since 1995. Overall acquisitive crime, as measured by the British Crime Survey (BCS), decreased by nearly half (46%) between 1995 and 2003/04. The number of violent incidents has dropped by 36 per cent since a peak in 1995 according to the BCS. However, recorded crime statistics indicate that there has been a 12 per cent increase in violent crime in 2003/04 compared with 2002/03, although it is thought that this increase is to some extent a result of the continuing effect of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS). Back to TopHow many offenders are there?That depends on how you define offenders. The total number of offenders sentenced at magistrates’ courts in 2003 was 1,413,764. The total number sentenced in the Crown Court was 76,063. However, if we consider the number of offenders who were sentenced in 2003, they totalled 1,489,827. This was the largest annual figure recorded in the last ten years, and a 5% increase since 2002. However, this figure appears to be mainly due to the increase in summary offences, especially summary motoring offences which increased by 11%. When we consider the total number sentenced for indictable offences, this fell by 0.8% to 333,930. These figures come from the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 'Sentencing Statistics 2003 for England and Wales', published by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate in February 2005. Back to TopWhy do people fail to report crime to the police?The reason most frequently cited for not reporting crime is that victims themselves considered the crime to be too trivial, the victims consider that there has been no loss, or the victims believed that the police would be either unwilling or unable to take any significant action about the crime. On some occasions, victims have concluded that the incident was a personal matter that they had to be deal with without professional intervention. Back to TopWhat is electronic monitoring ('tagging')?Electronic monitoring is the use of technology to monitor how offenders comply with a licence or court order. It establishes whether a person is present or absent from a particular place at any given time by the use of electronic equipment. Electronic monitoring is mostly used in the form of ‘tagging’, to monitor an offender’s compliance with a legal requirement. It can either be imposed by a court as part of a community sentence, or as part of the licence conditions imposed on an offender following their release from prison. Since electronic monitoring was introduced to the whole of England and Wales in 1999, over 175,000 offenders have been electronically monitored either as a sentence or on release from prison. Back to TopWho delivers electronic monitoring?Responsibility for the electronic monitoring of offenders in England and Wales was transferred to the National Probation Directorate in January 2003. Private sector contractors (such as Premier or Securicor) are responsible for electronically monitoring offenders. They install monitoring equipment in the offender’s home. This will include an electronic tag worn by the offender (usually worn on the ankle). Any attempt to remove or tamper with the tag triggers a signal is to the private sector contractor's monitoring centre. Appropriate action can then be taken on any infringements or breach of the offender’s curfew. Back to TopWhat are 'Approved Premises'?'Approved Premises' are hostels which provided accommodation for offenders which is supervised and supported. They have also been referred to bail and probation hostels. According to a survey by the National Probation Directorate (NPD) conducted in 2003, there is a total of 100 Approved Premises in England and Wales. The survey has provided what is in effect the first national picture of residents of Approved Premises. The Approved Premises provided a total of 2249 beds overall, with 9 beds in every 10 for male residents. The total number of beds in each hostel varied from 10 to 44. Back to TopWho do 'Approved Premises' accommodate?Approximately two thirds of all Approved Premises beds were allocated as
male-only. Of the 100 Approved Premises, no less than 88 were run by the
probation service; the remaining 12 were run by voluntary agencies.
Approximately 9 percent of male residents, and 17 percent of female residents,
have been identified as ‘Mentally Disordered Offenders’. Back to TopHow many drug offences are committed in England and Wales?In 2003, the total number of drug offences dealt with in England and Wales by the police, courts and HM Customs and Excise was133,970. This was a 5% rise on the previous year's level. Over the last 10 years, the number of known Class A offences has risen. There were 35,610 Class A offences in 2003. However, Class B drug offences constituted the majority of all drugs offences in 2003: 94,520 Class B offences were committed in 2003. A comparatively low number of Class C drug offences were committed in 2003 - only 1,660 (a 2% fall on the previous year). In terms of the total of offenders, 110,640 people were found convicted or cautioned for drug offences in 2003 in England and Wales. The vast majority of these offenders (around 90%) committed possession offences. A substantial majority of these possession offences were for cannabis possession. Only 7% were for possession if heroin and 5% for possession of cocaine . Approximately 10% of all drug offenders in 2003 had committed dealing offences. The figures come from 'Drug offenders in England and Wales 2003' by Lungowe Mwenda and Kavita Kumari, published by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate in March 2005. Back to TopHow do we sentence drug offenders?The most common disposals used for known possession offenders (that simple possession, not possession with intent to supply) in 2003 in England and Waleswere cautions (45% of disposals), fines (26%) and absolute or conditional discharges (11%). If we break these figures down in terms of gender, fewer female than male offenders were either cautioned or convicted for drug offences. Drug offenders are also more likely to be younger; Among those found guilty or cautioned for drug offences, possession offences tend to be committed by younger people (63% of those convicted or cautioned were aged under 25); offences relating to dealing are committed by slightly older people (71% of those convicted or cautioned were over 25) The most serious drug offences, relating to the production, import and export of drugs are committed by offenders who are older still. Almost two thirds of those offences are committed by people aged 30+ years. The figures come from 'Drug offenders in England and Wales 2003' by Lungowe Mwenda and Kavita Kumari, published by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate in March 2005. Back to TopWhat is an ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order)?An anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) is a civil order which protects the community from behaviour that causes harassment, alarm or distress. ASBOs were introduced in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and have been available since April 1999. They impose restrictions on the behaviour of individuals who have behaved in an anti-social way and protect communities from often longstanding and intimidating activity. ASBOs are effective for a minimum of two years. The majority of ASBOs (54%) have been issued for a duration of 2-3 years. 14% of all ASBOs have been issued for 5 years or more and only 8% have been issued until further notice. (These figures are up to date as of June, 2005). As they are civil orders, a person who receives an ASBO does not have a criminal record. Although ASBOs are civil orders, the court must be satisfied to a criminal burden of proof – beyond reasonable doubt – before making an order. The use of hearsay and third party evidence is permitted in order to protect witnesses and victims. ASBO statistics for the period from April 1999 to December 2004 can be downloaded from the Government's Crime Reduction website . Back to TopHow many ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders) have been issued?The total number of ASBOs issued up to December 2004 stands at 4649. Courts
have refused only 1% of all ASBO applications. What do the public think of the criminal justice system?According to Home Office research by Allen, Lovbakke and El Komy published in 2005, three-quarters of people in 2003/4 were very or fairly confident that the criminal justice system respects the rights of people accused of committing a crime and treats them fairly. Confidence in the criminal justice system was slightly higher in 2003/04 than it had been the previous year. Half of all respondents felt that bringing offenders to justice should be the highest priority for the criminal justice system. However, three-quarters of all respondents felt that court sentences were too lenient. Ratings of the criminal justice system agencies were higher in 2003/04 than in the previous year in respect of all the agencies with the exception of the police. Ratings of the police in general remained the same as in 2002/03. The most highly rated criminal justice agency was the police. For all ethnic groups, there were statistically significant increases in proportions saying that the Crown Prosecution Service and the Youth Courts were doing a good or excellent job compared to 2002/03. What is the Independent Police Complaints Commission?The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has overall responsibility for the police complaints system. Since April 2006 it has taken on responsibility for similar, serious complaints against HM Revenue and Customs and the Serious Organised Crime Agency in England and Wales. The IPCC has the task of increasing public confidence in the complaint systems and aims to make investigations more open, timely, proportionate and fair. The powers and duties of the IPCC are very different from those of its predecessor body, the Police Complaints Authority. These differences relate not just to its investigative and casework functions — which established a new way of handling complaints — but also to its wider responsibility to raise public confidence in the police complaints system as a whole. It is this wider responsibility to increase public confidence that the IPCC describes as its guardianship role. The IPCC is a Non-Departmental Public Body, funded by the Home Office, but by law entirely independent of the police, interest groups and political parties and whose decisions on cases are free from government involvement. The IPCC began work on 1 April 2004 with a wide range of new, stronger powers
to radically change the way complaints against the police are handled in England
and Wales. The IPCC can choose to manage or supervise the police investigation
into a case and independently investigate the most serious cases. They
have a legal duty to oversee the whole of the police complaints system, created
by the Police Reform Act 2002. They aim to transform the way in which
complaints against the police are handled. The Parole Board is an independent body that protects the public by making risk assessments about prisoners to decide who may safely be released into the community and must remain in or be returned to custody. Following the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the Parole Board now only makes decisions about the most serious and dangerous offenders and sentences relating to public protection issues. The Parole Board consider parole applications from prisoners. They will get a full dossier of reports on each offender, including Offender Assessment System (OASys) assessments. They usually meet in person to discuss the case in full. How does the system of release on licence operate? Many offenders are released on licence before the end of their prison
sentence. The most serious and dangerous offenders go through the Parole Board
process. Currently, every offender who is sentenced to more than 12 months in
prison is released with restrictions on what they can and cannot do in the
community. These restrictions are referred to as licence conditions and
compliance with the conditions is the responsibility of the staff of the
National Probation Service. Some offenders are released from prison before the
custodial part of their sentence is due to end. This means that although the
offender is released from prison, they are still serving their sentence with
conditions on their liberty. The aim of the 'on licence' process is to assist
offenders in re-building their lives and their relationships, reintegrate
themselves into the community and gain work approved by the person responsible
for supervising them. What conditions apply to a licence in England and Wales? Offender released on licence will have a minimum of one contact per week with their supervisor for 16 weeks. Contact levels after that will be determined by the offender manager following a review. Public protection is always a key concern and licence conditions are designed to intensively reduce any risks to the public. T here are a standard set of conditions as well as additional particular conditions that can be included to manage the risk the offender presents, for example:
Offender who breach the conditions of their licence may face immediate recall to prison. Depending on the circumstances the offender manager is able to exercise discretion on whether the offender is recalled to prison. When an offender is recalled to prison their case is reviewed. The offender will only be re-released if the Parole Board is satisfied that it is safe to do so and that the offender will stick to their licence conditions in future. What is the Judicial Appointments Commission?The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) was launched in April, 2006. The JAC is an independent Non Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice and set up by the Constitutional Reform Act (2005) to select judicial office holders. Once appointed, judges have security of position, a principle on which judicial independence rests. The JAC aim to do so on merit, through fair and open competition, from the widest range of eligible candidates. They were formed in order to maintain and strengthen judicial independence by taking responsibility for selecting candidates for judicial office out of the hands of the Lord Chancellor and making the appointments process clearer and more accountable. For the first time in 900 years, the Lord Chancellor no longer has the sole power to select which judge to appoint. Instead the JAC select, and make a recommendation to the Lord Chancellor, who can reject that recommendation but is required to provide his reasons to the JAC.What is a Community Order?Community Orders are supervised by the National Probation Service. Between October 2005 and September 2006, over 117,000 community orders were commenced. Community orders are made up of one or more of 12 possible requirements. Requirements may be combined to produce an individual package for each offender. The requirements available for use within a community order are:
A community order can last for up to three years but individual requirements can be for different lengths. Offenders who fail to comply with their community order are breached and returned to court. The court can resentence the offender for the original offence and might impose a custodial sentence. Alternatively, the court can extend or add requirements and allow the community order to continue.
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April 26, 2008: Probation Service "At Breaking Point", Says New Research April 25, 2008: Some Crime Is Falling: It's Official April 25, 2008: Prison Population Breaks Record April 14, 2008: Prison Self Injury Rate Growing - Howard League April 4, 2008: New Corporate Manslaughter Law April 2, 2008: More Specialist Domestic Violence Court Systems April 1, 2008: Academics Challenge Crime Research Governance March 17, 2008: 16, 2007: More Cash For Prison Drug Treatment March 17, 2008: Sentencing Crisis, Says Napo March 6, 2008: ID Cards: On The Way February 28, 2008: Community Sentences Reduce Reoffending, Says Straw February 8, 2008: Straw Supports Community Sentences February 1, 2008: First New Public Prison In A Decade January 31, 2008: Penal Policy Reform January 1, 2008: Prison Suicides Rise December 29, 2007: Prison Recalls Out Of Control, Says Napo December 28, 2007: Offenders Do 6m Hours Of Work December 20, 2007: Howard League Welcomes Inquiry December 19, 2007: The Public & Tackling Offenders December 12, 2007: Reviewing The Law On Murder December 6, 2007: Napo On The Carter Report December 6, 2007: Carter Report And New 'Titan' Prisons |
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