Knife and offensive weapon sentencing statistics: year ending March 2021
Trends in cautioning and sentencing of knife and offensive weapon offences.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
Contents
2. Knife and offensive weapon offences overview
5. Sentencing under Sentencing under section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020
7. Future publications and contact details for any queries or feedback
This publication presents key statistics describing the trends in the number of offenders receiving cautions and convictions for
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possession of an article with a blade or point
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possession of an offensive weapon, or
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threatening with either type of weapon
in England and Wales. Please note that cases still awaiting final decisions are no longer accounted for using estimation methodology. These are generally cases in the latest periods and are now counted as ‘other’ disposals until final decisions are made.
Accompanying files
As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release:
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ODS format tables containing data on knife or offensive weapon offences up to March 2021
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An interactive table tool to look at previous offences involving possession of a blade, point or offensive weapon. The tool provides further breakdowns by gender, police identified ethnicity and prosecuting police force area. The data used in the tool is also included as a separate csv file.
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An interactive Sankey diagram looking at outcomes for offenders sentenced for these offences by whether or not they have a previous conviction or caution for possession of a blade, point or offensive weapon; which includes breakdowns by gender, age group and offence type.
The period covered by this publication includes the fourth quarter of data since restrictions were put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020. Where possible, the publication highlights the impact by presenting quarterly changes in addition to the usual year-on-year comparisons.
Main points
| Point | Change | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| The number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the Criminal Justice System (CJS) had been increasing since year ending March 2014 but has decreased since the start of the pandemic. | Decrease | In year ending March 2021 18,553 knife and offensive weapon offences were formally dealt with by the CJS, a decrease of 14% since year ending March 2020. This comes after a rise of 35% between year ending March 2014 and year ending March 2019 and is likely to have been driven by the pandemic, particularly in Q2 2020. |
| The proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence decreased to 31% in year ending March 2021 | Decrease | This had been stable at around 38% between year ending March 2018 and year ending March 2020 but is likely to have been affected by changes during the pandemic, and a higher number of cases still going through the court than in other years which are no longer accounted for. |
| For 72% of offenders this was their first knife or offensive weapon possession offence. | Decrease | The proportion of offenders for whom this is their first knife or offensive weapon possession offence has been decreasing over the last decade, from 79% in year ending March 2011 to 72% in year ending March 2021 but has been stable at around 72% since year ending March 2018. |
| The average custodial sentence received by offenders sentenced under Sentencing under section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 was 7.4 months in year ending March 2021 | Decrease | This had risen between year ending March 2017, the first full year after the legislation was introduced, and year ending March 2020 but in year ending March 2021 fell back below the average custodial sentence length for year ending March 2018 (7.6 months). |
1. Statistician’s comment
Today’s publication, covering the period to end March 2021, is the fourth to contain a full quarter affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several possible impacts of the pandemic on the statistics. These include the impact of lockdowns and changes to court arrangements such as court closures, pauses to jury trials and remote hearings.
The number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the Criminal Justice System from January to March 2021 was 2% higher than in the same quarter of 2020. This is the second same quarter increase following four previous decreases. Most notably the 52% decrease for Q2 2020 versus the same quarter of 2019.
The proportion of offenders for whom this is their first knife or offensive weapon possession offence remains stable compared to recent years back to end March 2018.
The impact of the pandemic is likely to continue to affect these statistics and drive short-term trends in future periods as we see the recovery in subsequent quarters.
2. Knife and offensive weapon offences overview
The number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the Criminal Justice System (CJS) had been increasing since 2014 but has decreased since the start of the pandemic.
Figure 1: Knife and offensive weapon offences by offence type, England and Wales, annually from year ending March 2011 (Source: Table 1a)
In year ending March 2021 18,553 knife and offensive weapon offences were formally dealt with by the CJS, a decrease of 14% since year ending March 2020. This comes after a rise of 35% between year ending March 2014 and year ending March 2019 and is likely to have been driven by changes during the pandemic, particularly in Q2 2020.
In March to June 2020, the first affected by COVID-19 restrictions, there was a 52% fall in the number of offences dealt with compared to the same quarter in 2019. This has gone back up in subsequent quarters and the 4,992 cases dealt with in January to March 2021 was 2% higher than in the same quarter of 2020.
Recent police recorded crime figures showed a 9% decrease in the number of knife and offensive weapon offences recorded from 38,498 in the year ending March 2020 to 35,122 in the year ending March 2021. Furthermore, information published by the Home Office on “Crime outcomes in England and Wales” show that 50% of these offences resulted in a charge or police caution in the year ending March 2021.
3. Sentencing
The proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence decreased to 31% in year ending March 2021.
This had been stable at around 38% between year ending March 2018 and year ending March 2020 but is likely to have been affected by changes during the pandemic, and a higher number of cases still going through the court than in other years which are no longer accounted for.
Figure 2: Knife and offensive weapon offences by disposal type, England and Wales, annually from year ending March 2011 (Source: Table 1)
Between year ending March 2011 and year ending March 2018 there was an increase in the proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence, from 23% to 38%, which remained stable before falling to 31% in year ending March 2021. This is due to changes during the pandemic, and a higher number of cases than for previous years which have been referred to the Crown Court for sentencing and are still awaiting final decisions. These are no longer accounted for using the estimation methodology and are currently included in the “other” disposal category.
Average custodial sentence length generally increased between year ending March 2011 and year ending March 2020 but particularly for possession of blade or point offences where it increased from 5.5 months to 7.2 months, and for adults where it increased from 6.3 months to 8.0 months. However, in year ending March 2021 the average custodial sentence length fell for all age groups and possession offences. The average custodial length for threatening offences remained stable, increasing 0.1 months from 13.5 months in year ending March 2020 to 13.6 months in year ending March 2021.
4. Offending History
For 72% of offenders this was their first knife or offensive weapon possession offence.
The proportion of offenders for whom this is their first knife or offensive weapon possession offence has been decreasing over the last decade, from 79% in year ending March 2011 to 72% in year ending March 2021 but has been stable at around 72% since year ending March 2018.
The decrease in the proportion of first time knife and offensive weapon offenders has been seen for both adults and juveniles, with the proportion for adults decreasing from 76% to 69% between year ending March 2011 and year ending March 2021 and the proportion for juveniles decreasing from 90% to 84% over the same period.
Figure 3: Number of previous cautions or convictions for the possession of a knife or offensive weapon offence for offenders cautioned or convicted for a knife or offensive weapon offence, England and Wales, annually from year ending March 2011 (Source: Interactive Pivot Table Tool)
Figure 3 shows the cautions or convictions for a knife or offensive weapon offence, broken down by number of previous convictions for a knife or offensive weapon offence. Figures for the most recent year show the number of first-time knife and offensive weapon offenders has fallen, after rising since year ending March 2014, due to Covid-19 restrictions.
5. Sentencing under section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 (formerly section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (CJCA))
Following the commencement of section 28 of the CJCA 2015, a court must impose a minimum custodial sentence on an offender who has been convicted of a second or subsequent offence involving possession of a knife or offensive weapon. The court must impose the minimum sentence unless it would not be in the interest of justice to do so.
The average custodial sentence received by offenders sentenced under section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 was 7.4 months in year ending March 2021.
This had risen between year ending March 2017, the first full year after the legislation was introduced, and year ending March 2020 but in year ending March 2021 fell back below the average custodial sentence length for year ending March 2018 (7.6 months).
Figure 4: Knife and offensive weapons possession sentencing and cautioning occasions for adult repeat offenders, by disposal type, year ending March 2015 and annually from year ending March 2017 (Source: Interactive Pivot Table Tool and Table 7)
In year ending March 2015, prior to the introduction of this legislation, 51% of adult knife and offensive weapons possession offenders with at least one previous knife and offensive weapons possession offence received an immediate custodial sentence. In year ending March 2021 three fifths (59%) of adult offenders sentenced under section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 received an immediate custodial sentence. Overall 82% of adult offenders sentenced under section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 in 2021 received some form of custodial sentence, either immediate custody or a suspended sentence, compared to 72% of adult offenders with at least one previous knife and offensive weapons offence in year ending March 2015.
For 16- and 17-year olds, in year ending March 2021 27% of offenders sentenced under section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 received an immediate custodial sentence compared to 31% of knife and offensive weapons possession offenders with at least one previous knife and offensive weapons possession offence in year ending March 2015.
6. Further information
The data presented in this publication are provisional and updated in each publication. Figures provided for more recent quarters are subject to change in future publications as ongoing cases pass through the Criminal Justice System.
A technical guide provides further information on how the data is collected and processed, as well as information on the revisions policy and legislation relevant to knife and offensive weapon sentencing.
Official Statistics status
Official statistics are produced under the remit of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. They are produced impartially and are free from political influence. More information can be found on the UK Statistics Authority website
7. Future publications
Next update: 18 November 2021
Our statisticians regularly review the content of publications. Development of new and improved statistical outputs is usually dependent on reallocating existing resources. As part of our continual review and prioritisation, we welcome user feedback on existing outputs including content, breadth, frequency and methodology. Please send any comments you have on this publication including suggestions for further developments or changes in content.
Contact
Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office:
Tel: 020 3334 3536
Email: newsdesk@justice.gov.uk
Other enquiries about, or feedback on, these statistics should be directed to the Justice Statistics Analytical Services division of the Ministry of Justice:
Mike Williams,
Ministry of Justice,
102 Petty France,
London,
SW1H 9AJ
Email: statistics.enquiries@justice.gov.uk
© Crown copyright Produced by the Ministry of Justice. Alternative formats are available on request from statistics.enquiries@justice.gov.uk
8. Pre-release access
The bulletin was produced and handled by the ministry’s analytical professionals and production staff. Prior to publication pre-release access of up to 24 hours was granted to the following persons:
Ministry of Justice:
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice; Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – covering youth justice; Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – covering sentencing; Permanent Secretary; Minister and Permanent Secretary Private Secretaries (10); Special Advisors (2); Grade 6, Sentencing Policy Unity; Deputy Director for Bail, Sentencing and Release Policy; Senior Policy Advisor, Custodial Sentencing Policy Unit; Policy Advisor, Custodial Sentencing Unit; Policy Advisor, Youth Sentencing; Head of News and relevant press officers (4).
Youth Justice Board:
Data Analyst, YJB Information and Analysis.
Home Office:
Home Secretary; Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Safeguarding; Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service; Minister Private Secretaries (5); Special Advisor; Head of Serious Violence Unit; Head of Knife Crime Team; Head of Serious Violence Priority Projects Unit; Policy Advisor, Serious Violence Unit; Statistician, Violent Crime; and relevant press officers (3).
Cabinet Office:
Deputy Director, Number 10 Delivery Unit; Senior Delivery Analyst, Number 10 Delivery Unit.