The following table shows at (a) the number of defendants in respect of whom the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advised the police or took a pre-charge decision in each of the three years in question.
The table also shows the number of defendants prosecuted by the CPS, together with the outcome of proceedings. These cases include both those charged or summonsed by the police, and those in which a pre-charge decision to charge was made by the CPS. Case outcomes include at (b) the number and proportion of defendants whose case was dropped by the CPS before evidence was heard by a court, including those formally discontinued in advance of a hearing. Shown at (c) are the number and proportion which proceeded to a trial, together with the outcome of the trial. Finally, the table shows the number and proportion of defendants whose case resulted in a conviction (including guilty pleas as well as convictions after trial) and unsuccessful outcomes, representing all outcomes other than a conviction.
2005 2006 2007 Volume Percentage Volume Percentage Volume Percentage (a) Pre-charge decisions/Advice given 556,961 — 579,081 — 564,851 — Administrative finalisation1 40,654 3.5 29,264 2.7 22,269 2.1 Discharged committal 2,705 0.2 2,400 0.2 2,255 0.2 (b) Prosecutions dropped2 139,868 12.1 125,102 11.4 112,556 10.5 Of which: Discontinued 41,105 3.5 40,463 3.7 37,044 3.5 Indictment stayed 77 0.0 188 0.0 216 0.0 Lie on file 670 0.1 589 0.1 636 0.1 Offered no evidence 46,666 4.0 45,379 4.1 43,702 4.1 Prosecution stayed 96 0.0 165 0.0 198 0.0 Withdrawn 51,254 4.4 38,318 3.5 30,760 2.9 Guilty pleas 712,397 61.5 699,888 63.6 711,251 66.3 Proved in absence 169,270 14.6 155,473 14.1 140,756 13.1 (c) Trials3 93,508 8.1 87,737 8.0 83,230 7.8 Of which: Conviction after trial 64,800 5.6 58,702 5.3 55,900 5.2 Acquitted 28,708 2.5 29,035 2.6 27,330 2.5 Convictions 946,467 81.7 914,063 83.1 907,907 84.7 Unsuccessful outcomes 211,935 18.3 185,801 16.9 164,410 15.3 Total prosecutions 1,158,402 — 1,099,864 — 1,072,317 — 1 Administrative finalisations comprise outcomes where the defendant cannot be traced, or has died, or been found unfit to plead. 2 Prosecutions dropped are all proceedings halted before evidence is heard. 3 Trials comprise cases where the defendant pleaded not guilty and evidence was heard by the court.
The Crown Prosecution Service maintains no central record of the time committed by lawyers to the preparation of cases for trial or to trial attendance. The information is not recorded on individual case files.