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Crimes of Violence: Reoffenders

Volume 493: debated on Thursday 11 June 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people convicted of serious violent offences and who served sentences of under two years duration re-offended in each year since 2000. (278883)

The table shows the one year adult reoffending rates for offenders in England and Wales released from custody in the first quarter (1 January to 31 March) of the years 2000 to 2007, who served a custodial sentence of less than two years for a serious violent offence. The table shows the proportion of offenders who committed at least one further offence and the frequency of offences per 100 offenders.

One year reoffending rates, offenders leaving custody, 2000-07 who served a custodial sentence of less than two years for a serious violent offence

Number of offenders

Number of reoffenders

Actual reoffending rate

Number of offences per 100 offenders

Q1 2000

346

107

30.9

100.6

Q1 2002

391

115

29.4

94.6

Q1 2003

343

93

27.1

98.5

Q1 2004

349

75

21.5

78.8

Q1 2005

307

70

22.8

66.8

Q1 2006

283

65

23.0

73.1

Q1 2007

241

63

26.1

72.6

Note:

Data for 2001 are unavailable due to problems with archived data

Further information on the one year rates of reoffending can be found in

http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm.

Appendix G contains a list of serious violent offences.

The figures for reoffences include offences of all types. An offender whose original offence was serious violence and who reoffended, may not have committed any more serious violent offences.

While the small cohort size makes these measures highly volatile, there has been a decline in both the actual reoffending rate and the number of reoffences committed since 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders were charged with each category of violent offence whilst under supervision by the Probation Service in each of the last five years. (278619)

The available information is shown in the table. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) holds statistical information on the number of offenders charged with serious further violent offences while under probation supervision. However, this does not include all types of violent offence.

The table contains data on the number of offenders, managed by the National Probation Service for England and Wales, who were charged with certain violent offences, where there was a requirement initially to notify NOMS, in line with Serious Further Offence Probation Circulars 06/2006 and 41/2006.

Data is only held for 2006-07 onwards. Data for 2008-09 will be published in the annual Offender Management Caseload Statistics (OMCS), which is scheduled for publication on 31 July. This will also include those offenders who were notified to NOMS, in line with the Serious Further Offence Probation Circular 22/2008 which took effect on 1 December 2008. OMCS provide the offence breakdown by conviction rather than charge, where notified cases have proceeded to a review. I will write to the hon. Member with an updated table, once OMCS are published, showing the number of offenders who were charged with serious violent offences for 2008-09.

Serious further offence breakdown of all cases notified to NOMS PPU between 1 April 2006 and 30 September 2008

England and Wales notifications

Serious violent offence description

2006-07

2007-08

1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008

Aggravated burglary (section 10 of the Theft Act 1968)

26

75

Aggravated theft

75

59

Aggravated vehicle-taking involving an accident which caused the death of any person (Section 12A of the Theft Act 1968)

1

Arson (section 1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971)

90

93

42

Attempt to cause explosion, or making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property (section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883)

1

Attempt to commit murder or a conspiracy to commit murder

47

62

21

Attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle in order to commit or assist in committing an indictable offence (section 21 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861)

1

Burglary with intent to: (a) inflict grievous bodily harm on a person or (b) do unlawful damage to a building or anything in it. (section 9 of the Theft Act 1968)

11

17

Carrying a firearm with criminal intent (section 18 of the Firearms Act 1968)

2

1

Causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult, also called ‘familial homicide’ (Section 5 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004)

Causing death by careless driving when under influence of drink or drugs (section 3A of the Road Traffic Act 1988)

1

2

2

Causing death by dangerous driving (section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988)

14

8

6

Destroying or damaging property other than an offence of arson (section 1 (2) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971)

1

False imprisonment

56

60

35

Kidnapping

65

76

39

Manslaughter

7

9

4

Murder

129

107

64

Other explosives offences

2

Other offences against the person

22

15

1

Other serious violent offence

92

65

5

Possession of firearm at time of committing or being arrested for offence specified in Schedule 1 to that Act (section 17(2) of the Firearms Act 1968)

5

10

Possession of firearm with intent to endanger life (section 16 of the Firearms Act 1968)

4

20

Robbery or assault with intent to rob (section 8 of the Theft Act 1968)

1

11

18

Use of firearm to resist arrest (section 17(1) of the Firearms Act 1968)

Serious firearms offences (SFO)

55

96

Soliciting murder (section 4 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861)

1

Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (section 18 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861)

454

567

352

Total

1,110

1,280

715