Criminal Statistics

HC Deb 13 February 1978 vol 944 cc39-45W

Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase, or decrease, in cases coming before all courts, for each of the last 10 years, concerning the following offences, namely, shoplifting, arson, robbery with violence, breaking and entering, rape and assault.

Mr. John

The numbers of persons coming before the courts in England and Wales by type of offence are published in the issues of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" for 1966 to 1976 (Tables 1(a) and 5(a) of the 1976 issue). The figures for rape and assault are comparable for all these years, but for offences of shoplifting, robbery and burglary the figures are comparable for only 1969 to 1976, and for offences of arson the figures are strictly comparable for only 1972 to 1976.

Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of cases were heard in magistrates' courts and Crown courts, respectively, for each of the last 10 years, concerning people on charges of (a) shoplifting, (b) theft, and (c) breaking and entering; and what percentage, in each category of crime, for each court, was found guilty or not guilty.

Mr. John

Comparable information is available only from 1969 and is given in the following tables:

PROPORTION OF PERSONS TRIED FOR CERTAIN OFFENCES WHO WERE TRIED AT MAGISTRATES' COURTS OR AT THE CROWN COURT ENGLAND AND WALES
Percentage
				Shoplifting	Theft or handling stoten goods (including shoplifting)	Burglary
Year	Magistrates' Courts	The Crown Court	Magistrates Court	The Crown Court	Magistrates' Court	The Crown Court
1969	…	…	…	99	1	95	5	80	20
1970	…	…	…	98	2	94	6	80	20
1971	…	…	…	98	2	93	7	80	20
1972	…	…	…	97	3	92	8	78	22
1973	…	…	…	97	3	91	9	78	22
1974	…	…	…	97	3	91	9	80	20
1975	…	…	…	97	3	90	10	78	22
1976	…	…	…	96	4	89	11	77	23

PROPORTION OF PERSONS(1) TRIED FOR CERTAIN OFFENCES WHO WERE FOUND GUILTY OR ACQUITTED—BY TYPE OF COURT AND TYPE OF OFFENCE ENGLAND AND WALES
Percentage
Year	Shoplifting	Magistrates' Courts Theft or handling stolen goods (excluding shoplifting)	Burglary	Shoplifting	The Crown Court Theft or handling stolen goods (excluding shoplifting	Burglary
				Found guilty	Acquitted	Found guilty	Acquitted	Found guilty	Acquitted	Found guilty	Acquitted	Found guilty	Acquitted	Found guilty	Acquitted
1969	…	…	…	96	4	94	6	96	4	64	36	78	22	94	6
1970	…	…	…	96	4	94	6	96	4	69	31	79	21	94	6
1971	…	…	…	95	5	94	6	96	4	67	33	77	23	94	6
1972	…	…	…	95	5	94	6	96	4	68	32	78	22	93	7
1973	…	…	…	95	5	94	6	96	4	64	36	77	23	93	7
1974	…	…	…	95	5	94	6	96	4	68	32	79	21	93	7
1975	…	…	…	95	5	94	6	96	4	69	31	79	21	94	6
1976	…	…	…	95	5	94	6	96	4	71	29	80	20	94	6
(1) Includes defendants who have pleaded guilty

Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be in a position to provide information about the incidence of people in court for the first time, expressed as a percentage of those on charges of alleged shoplifting.

Dr. Summerskill

It is intended to include some information about the previous convictions of persons convicted in 1976 of shoplifting in the "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1977" to be published later this year.