HC Deb 31 March 1994 vol 240 cc965-8W
Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide tables giving the total number of recorded offences, the number for each category of offence and the number scheduled for hearing under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts in Northern Ireland in each year since 1983; and how many and what percentage in each case were(a) recorded by police as having been cleared up and (b) recorded as results in a conviction.

Sir John Wheeler

[holding answer 29 March]: The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Table A gives details of the total number of recorded offences, the number for each category of offence, the number cleared and the clearance rate. It is not possible to link directly recorded offences to persons proceeded against in court and subsequent convictions.

Table B gives the total number of persons proceeded against for scheduled offences under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts. Classification of offences into scheduled and non-scheduled offences under emergency legislation takes place at the prosecution stage and is therefore not available for recorded offences, where there is no prosecution. The table does not include scheduled offences tried at magistrates courts. These are subject to the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions and figures could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Crimes known, and detected, by class—Northern Ireland total 1983–87 Table A
1983
Known 1Detected Per cent.
1. Offences against the person 2,934 1,647 56
2. Sexual offences 396 292 74
3. Burglary 21,327 5,105 24
4. Robbery 1,870 561 30
5. Theft and TADA 27,750 6,647 24
6. Fraud and forgery 2,855 1,728 61
7. Criminal damage 4,577 767 17
8. Offences against the state 1,680 525 31
9. Other offences 595 503 85
Total 63,984 17,775 28
1 (Cleared).
1984
Known 1Detected Per cent.
1. Offences Against the Person 3,389 1,929 57
2. Sexual Offences 496 334 67
3. Burglary 22,364 5,484 25
4. Robbery 2,009 530 26
5. Theft and TADA 28,746 8,139 28
6. Fraud and Forgery 3,117 2,101 67
7. Criminal Damage 4,419 955 22
8. Offences Against the State 1,566 492 31
9. Other Offences 673 527 78
Total 66,779 20,491 31
1 (Cleared).
1985
Known 1Detected Per cent.
1. Offences Against the Person 3,458 2,012 58
2. Sexual Offences 653 506 77
3. Burglary 20,275 5,110 25
1985
Known 1Detected Per cent.
4. Robbery 1,800 419 23
5. Theft and TADA 29,490 10,145 34
6. Fraud and Forgery 3,697 2,681 73
7. Criminal Damage 3,194 870 27
8. Offences Against the State 1,410 341 24
9. Other Offences 607 497 82
Total 64,584 22,581 35
1 (Cleared).
1986
Known 1Detected Per cent.
1. Offences Against the Person 4,205 2,411 57
2. Sexual Offences 834 659 79
3. Burglary 19,973 5,196 26
4. Robbery 2,204 409 19
5. Theft and TDA 30,819 11,585 38
6. Fraud and Forgery 4,209 2,968 71
7. Criminal Damage 4,055 1,259 31
8. Offences Against the State 1,537 486 32
9. Other Offences 419 363 87
Total 68,255 25,336 37
1(Cleared).
1987
Known 1Detected Per cent.
1. Offences against the person 4,198 2,976 71
2. Sexual offences 817 746 91
3. Burglary 17,294 5,238 30
4. Robbery 2,504 464 19
5. Theft and TADA 30,136 12,990 43
6. Fraud and forgery 4,150 3,296 79
7. Criminal damage 2,592 1,125 43
8. Offences against the state 1,780 616 35
9. Other offences 389 292 75
Total 63,860 27,743 43
1 (Cleared).
Crimes known, and detected, by class—NI total 1988–1992
19881
Known 2Detected Per cent.
1. Offences against the person 3,469 2,366 68
2. Sexual offences 779 657 84
3. Burglary 14,353 4,106 29
4. Robbery 2,130 488 23
5. Theft and TADA 27,994 12,539 45
6. Fraud and forgery 3,881 3,276 84
7. Criminal damage 2,254 927 41
8. Offences against the state 644 557 86
9. Other offences 386 310 80
Total 55,890 25,226 45
1 In 1988 two offences ('assault on police' and 'communicating false information regarding a bomb hoax' ceased to be recorded.
2 Cleared.
1989
Known 1Detected Per cent.
1. Offences Against the Person 3,338 1,938 58
2. Sexual Offences 935 799 85
3. Burglary 14,680 4,011 27
4. Robbery 1,738 391 22
5. Theft and TADA 27,057 11,716 43
1989
Known 1Detected Per cent.
6. Fraud and Forgery 4,395 3,483 79
7. Criminal Damage 2,013 687 34
8. Offences Against the State 626 507 81
9. Other Offences 365 276 76
Total 55,147 23,808 43
1 (Cleared).
1990
Known 1Detected Per cent.
1. Offences Against the Person 3,374 2,088 62
2. Sexual Offences 790 725 92
3. Burglary 14,817 3,330 22
4. Robbery 1,630 289 18
5. Theft and TADA 29,267 10,420 36
6. Fraud and Forgery 4,177 3,082 74
7. Criminal Damage 2,191 789 36
8. Offences Against the State 585 489 84
9. Other Offences 367 263 72
Total 57,198 21,475 38
1 (Cleared).
1991
Known Detected1 Per cent.
1. Offences Against the Person 3,955 2,450 62
2. Sexual Offences 877 762 87
3. Burglary 16,563 3,620 22
4. Robbery 1,848 308 17
5. Theft and TADA 32,033 10,751 34
6. Fraud and Forgery 4,811 3,220 67
7. Criminal Damage 2,394 765 32
8. Offences Against the State 592 454 77
9. Other Offences 419 345 82
Total 63,492 22,675 36
1 Cleared.

1992
Known 1Detected 1Per cent.
1. Offences against the person 4,102 2,630 64
2. Sexual offences 973 781 80
3. Burglary 17,117 3,270 19
4. Robbery 1,851 349 19
5. Theft and TADA 34,256 11,008 32
6. Fraud and forgery 5,486 3,342 61
7. Criminal damage 2,502 837 33
8. Offences against the state 478 383 80
9. Other offences 767 653 85
Total 67,532 23,253 34
1 (Cleared).
Table B
Scheduled Offences: Persons proceeded against1
Year Total Found Guilty per cent.
1983 638 577 90
1984 507 464 92
1985 698 625 90
1986 596 567 95
1987 713 680 95
1988 515 487 95
1989 456 414 91
1990 470 440 94
1991 423 388 92
1992 413 354 86
1 At Crown Court only.