Tougher sentences for knife possession
04 March 2010
More criminals continue to go to prison for carrying a knife - and for longer - while the number of cautions for knife possession has fallen again.
The quarterly sentencing figures for the period October to December 2009 published today, show that:
The average length of prison sentences handed down for possession of a knife or offensive weapon went up by 50% – from 140 days in the first quarter of 2008 (the last full quarter before the Tackling Knives Action Programme was introduced) to 209 days in the latest period.
1,200 offences resulted in immediate custody between October and November, compared to 1,100 in the first quarter of 2008. The proportion sentenced to immediate custody was 21% in Q4 2009, against 16% in Q1 2008. This proportion is down slightly from 22% in Q4 2008.
The proportion of offences receiving cautions for knife or offensive weapon possession fell to 21% in Q4 2009, compared to 35% in Q1 2008. This represents a fall of more than half over the same period, from 2,500 offences to 1,200.
Those getting tough community sentences are having to work more hours. For community orders in Q4 2009, 18% of unpaid work requirements were 200 hours or longer compared to 8% in Q1 2008. For suspended sentence orders, in Q4 2009 23% of unpaid work requirements were 200 hours or longer compared to 12% in Q1 2008.
Justice Minister Claire Ward said:
'No one should be in any doubt that the consequences are serious for those who carry knives. Today's figures show that more offenders now go to jail for carrying knives, while longer sentences are being handed down and the use of cautions continues to fall.
'We are determined to do everything in our power to tackle the menace of knife crime. That is why this week we also announced the introduction of a new starting point of 25 years for sentencing for murder with a knife taken to the scene, to bring the punishment closer to that for murder with a firearm.'
Notes to editors
- Full statistical bulletin, Knife Crime Sentencing Quarterly Brief October to December 2009 England and Wales
- The figures relate to disposals (from cautions to custodial sentences) in England and Wales during the period October to December 2009. All statistics quoted in the quarterly brief are provisional and subject to change in future quarters.
- Comparisons made are to the first quarter of 2008 – the last full quarter before the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP) was introduced. TKAP began in June 2008, therefore a comparison of the latest quarter with the same quarter of the previous year would be to compare two periods affected by TKAP. This methodology gives a better representation of the trends and impact of TKAP. To ensure consistency, the tables covering the full time series since the first publication of the bulletin are available for download from the Ministry of Justice website.
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