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Information showing the number of offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for serious violent offences in Northamptonshire and England from 2005-07 (latest available) is shown in the following table. Data for 2008 are due to be available towards the end of 2009.
2005 2006 2007 Cautioned Proceeded against Number cautioned as a percentage of those cautioned or proceeded against Cautioned Proceeded against Number cautioned as a percentage of those cautioned or proceeded against Cautioned Proceeded against Number cautioned as a percentage of those cautioned or proceeded against Northamptonshire 20 5172 5— 32 5121 5— 27 556 5— England 911 11,233 8 875 10,721 8 666 10,496 6 1 From 1 June 2000, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. 2 Covers the following: Homicide and child destruction Causing death by dangerous driving Attempted murder Wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent Racially aggravated wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm Causing death by aggravated vehicle taking 3 The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 4 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 5 The number of defendants proceeded against for Northamptonshire reflects the data received from the magistrates courts. However, during the period covered by the table, there were data quality issues. Hence, it would be unwise to place much credence in the drop of prosecutions over time and thus in the increase in the percentage cautioned if derived. Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit, Office for Criminal Justice Reform.