Crown Prosecution Data
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) monitors prosecution decisions and outcomes
on files sent by the police. In 1999/00:
2,417 racist crime defendant cases were identified by the CPS of which 78%
were also initially identified as such by the police (in 1998/99 there were 1,603
defendant cases and 58% identified by the police)
1,834 (76%) of cases were prosecuted compared to 85% for the previous year.
Most defendants pleaded guilty (66% of all charges)
The overall conviction rate including not guilty pleas was 79%
46% of charges prosecuted were public order offences and just under one third
(30%) were assault.
48% were identified as racially aggravated offences
Racially Aggravated Offences
The Crime & Disorder Act 1998 introduced a series of new racially aggravated offences
from 30th September 1998. Monitoring is taking place of the number of incidents recorded
by the police, the number dealt with by the Crown Prosecution Service, the number
of police cautions and the number of prosecutions in court with their outcomes. 21,750
offences were recorded by the police in 1999/2000 of which:
49% were harassment
12% less serious wounding (including s20 &47 Offences Against the Person Act
1861)
20% common assault; and
19% criminal damage.
Compared with the total number of similar non-racially aggravated offences
about 11% were recorded as racially aggravated, 2% of common assaults, 1% of less
serious wounding and under 1% of criminal damage cases.
4,178 persons were cautioned for, or prosecuted for racially aggravated offences
(23% aged under 18).
3,815 prosecutions were recorded at magistrate’s court in 1999/2000 of which
1,073 (28%) were convicted at the magistrate’s court, 46% were either terminated early
or acquitted.
990 cases were committed to a Crown Court for trial.
A further 178 persons were tried at the Crown Court of whom about one half
were convicted
For those sentenced at the magistrate’s courts, 16% were sentenced to immediate
custody and at the Crown Court 48%.
Click here for table showing racially aggravated offences recorded by the police
by offence & detection rate 1999/00 compared to non-racially aggravated
Click here for table showing cautions & prosecutions at the magistrate’s court
for racially aggravated offences, by age group 1999.
Source:Statistics on Race and the Criminal
Justice System A Home Office publication under section 95 of the Criminal Justice
Act 1991: Report 2000
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