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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Going down: criminal justice statistics | Going down: criminal justice statistics |
| (4 months later) | |
| The total number of people and companies that the criminal justice system (CJS) deals with has fallen to its lowest level since 1970. That's the easy part. Understanding why there has been a consistent decline since 2007 involves a slightly more complicated set of questions. | The total number of people and companies that the criminal justice system (CJS) deals with has fallen to its lowest level since 1970. That's the easy part. Understanding why there has been a consistent decline since 2007 involves a slightly more complicated set of questions. |
| How is the criminal justice system changing? | How is the criminal justice system changing? |
| The number of cautions issued has fallen from 243,971 in 2011 to 211,498 in 2012 (15% decline). Proceedings? Cautions? Both down 5% over the year. The most obvious reason for this is that the CJS has less to deal with - recorded crime also fell by over 8% in the same period. | The number of cautions issued has fallen from 243,971 in 2011 to 211,498 in 2012 (15% decline). Proceedings? Cautions? Both down 5% over the year. The most obvious reason for this is that the CJS has less to deal with - recorded crime also fell by over 8% in the same period. |
| Despite popular assumptions to the contrary, the number of juveniles being dealt with by the CJS has fallen at an even faster rate than the total population. The release states this is: | Despite popular assumptions to the contrary, the number of juveniles being dealt with by the CJS has fallen at an even faster rate than the total population. The release states this is: |
| reflecting both a decreasing number of juvenile offenders reprimanded or issued with a warning and the decreasing numbers of juveniles found guilty in all courts. However, per head of population, the rate of juvenile first time entrants remains higher than for adults. | reflecting both a decreasing number of juvenile offenders reprimanded or issued with a warning and the decreasing numbers of juveniles found guilty in all courts. However, per head of population, the rate of juvenile first time entrants remains higher than for adults. |
| The downward trend was consistent across all types of crime, from violence against the person to burglary, to drug offences and criminal damage. There was however one exception: the number of sexual offences that were recorded fell by 3% to 53,203 in 2012. In the same period however, convictions for sexual crime rose from 19,617 to 19,827 - though of course convictions don't necessarily take place in the same year as the crime. | The downward trend was consistent across all types of crime, from violence against the person to burglary, to drug offences and criminal damage. There was however one exception: the number of sexual offences that were recorded fell by 3% to 53,203 in 2012. In the same period however, convictions for sexual crime rose from 19,617 to 19,827 - though of course convictions don't necessarily take place in the same year as the crime. |
| Though fewer people were sentenced to custody in 2012 compared to 2011 (98,047 vs. 106,170) the average custodial length increased during this time from 14.3 to 14.5 months. | Though fewer people were sentenced to custody in 2012 compared to 2011 (98,047 vs. 106,170) the average custodial length increased during this time from 14.3 to 14.5 months. |
| In fact, convictions have been falling over the past decade, though not as fast as the number of proceedings has declined. In other words, the conviction rate, the proportion of proceedings resulting in a conviction, is on the up. Are more of us guilty than before? | In fact, convictions have been falling over the past decade, though not as fast as the number of proceedings has declined. In other words, the conviction rate, the proportion of proceedings resulting in a conviction, is on the up. Are more of us guilty than before? |
| Understanding why conviction rates are increasing is not part of this Ministry of Justice release. Instead, they point to a complex range of factors such as changes in guilty plea rates and the slightly more ambiguous "impacts of operational changes". We consider what else might be driving these trends. | Understanding why conviction rates are increasing is not part of this Ministry of Justice release. Instead, they point to a complex range of factors such as changes in guilty plea rates and the slightly more ambiguous "impacts of operational changes". We consider what else might be driving these trends. |
| What are the possible reasons for the changes? | What are the possible reasons for the changes? |
| As this organogram shows, there are several possible ways that "individuals" (a term that covers both people and companies) can flow through the UK justice system. The latest Ministry of Justice bulletin suggests that legislation and targets can have a huge effect on these statistics. | As this organogram shows, there are several possible ways that "individuals" (a term that covers both people and companies) can flow through the UK justice system. The latest Ministry of Justice bulletin suggests that legislation and targets can have a huge effect on these statistics. |
| For example, the number of out of court disposals (issued for less serious crimes) increased rapidly from 2002, after a target was introduced in 2001 aimed at bringing more offences to justice. However, this began to fall after a new target in 2008 emphasised serious crimes being brought to justice. And the decline since then, for all types of out of court disposals, has been quite dramatic. | For example, the number of out of court disposals (issued for less serious crimes) increased rapidly from 2002, after a target was introduced in 2001 aimed at bringing more offences to justice. However, this began to fall after a new target in 2008 emphasised serious crimes being brought to justice. And the decline since then, for all types of out of court disposals, has been quite dramatic. |
| We've include a link to the summary of the data below. What other trends have you noticed? What factors do you think are most important in driving these changes? Tell us by posting a comment below or tweeting to @MonaChalabi or @GuardianData. | We've include a link to the summary of the data below. What other trends have you noticed? What factors do you think are most important in driving these changes? Tell us by posting a comment below or tweeting to @MonaChalabi or @GuardianData. |
| Download the data | Download the data |
| • DATA: download the full spreadsheet | • DATA: download the full spreadsheet |
| More open data | More open data |
| Data journalism and data visualisations from the Guardian | Data journalism and data visualisations from the Guardian |
| Can you do something with this data? | Can you do something with this data? |
| • Flickr Please post your visualisations and mash-ups on our Flickr group • Contact us at data@guardian.co.uk | • Flickr Please post your visualisations and mash-ups on our Flickr group • Contact us at data@guardian.co.uk |
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