Justice in numbers
The figures below represent a snapshot of the latest published data and comparisons to previous periods. The relevant links to time series provide a more complete view of these figures over a longer period of time as well as links to source material where additional context and caveats can be found to aid interpretation.
The data on this website is usually updated a week after a new publication is available. Updates include all relevant statistics published in the previous month. A complete and up-to-date list of Ministry of Justice statistical publications can be found here.
Where a direction arrow is shown, this indicates an increase or decrease in the latest value of a measure when compared with the previous period of data.
Crime figures from Crime Survey for England and Wales
9.6 million
Value for 2025/26. View time series for crime figures from crime survey for england and wales
Up 0.2 million from 2024/25
Police recorded crime in England and Wales
6.6 million
Value for 2024/25. View time series for police recorded crime in england and wales
Down 0.1 million from 2023/24
Estimated total cost of crime in England and Wales
£58.9bn
Value for 2015/16. View measure for estimated total cost of crime in england and wales
Prison population
85,858
Value for 30-Jun-2026. View time series for prison population
Down 1,476 from 30-Jun-2025
Proven reoffending rate
29.9%
Value for Jul - Sep 2024. View time series for proven reoffending rate
Up 0.3ppt from Apr - Jun 2024
Crown Court disposals
114,406
Value for 2025. View time series for crown court disposals
Up 218 from 2024
Crown Court open caseload
80,098
Value for 31 Dec 2025. View time series for crown court open caseload
Up 6,082 from 31 Dec 2024
Magistrates' courts disposals
1,461,664
Value for 2025. View time series for magistrates' courts disposals
Up 24,815 from 2024
Civil courts - total judgments
1,148,962
Value for 2025. View time series for civil courts - total judgments
Up 57,930 from 2024
Family court - total cases disposed
243,583
Value for 2025. View time series for family court - total cases disposed
Down 2,902 from 2024
Tribunals disposals - overall
319,403
Value for 2025/26. View time series for tribunals disposals - overall
Up 12,967 from 2024/25
Following the transition to the new data pipeline for probation statistics, additional enhancements have been made to the data processing methodology. As a result, the published figures now provide a more complete picture of the probation caseload. These improvements have been implemented from the January to March 2026 reporting period onwards and have not been applied retrospectively. This creates a break in the time series, and users should therefore exercise caution when comparing these figures with those published for earlier periods.
Where a direction arrow is shown, this indicates an increase or decrease in the latest value of a measure when compared with the previous period of data.
Prison first receptions (quarterly)
17,945
Value for Jan-Mar 2026. View time series for prison first receptions (quarterly)
Down 434 from Oct-Dec 2025
Prison population
85,858
Value for 30-Jun-2026. View time series for prison population
Down 1,476 from 30-Jun-2025
Prison population by sex
| Male | 82,508 prisoners |
|---|---|
| Female | 3,350 prisoners |
Values for 30 June 2026. View breakdown for prison population by sex
Prison population by age
Multiple values. View breakdown for prison population by age
Prison population by offence group
Multiple values. View breakdown for prison population by offence group
Prison releases (quarterly)
12,977
Value for Jan-Mar 2026. View time series for prison releases (quarterly)
Down 1,666 from Oct-Dec 2025
Individuals released on temporary licence
4,155
Value for Jan-Mar 2026. View time series for individuals released on temporary licence
Down 24 from Oct-Dec 2025
Prison type - male / female
| Male | 110 prisons |
|---|---|
| Female | 12 prisons |
| Under 18 | 4 prisons |
Values for October 2025. View breakdown for prison type - male / female
Prison type - public / private
| Public sector | 109 prisons |
|---|---|
| Private sector (contracted) | 17 prisons |
Values for October 2025. View breakdown for prison type - public / private
Prison operational capacity
89,120
Value for Jun 2026. View time series for prison operational capacity
Down 453 from Jun 2025
Prison staff in post
21,984
Value for March 2026. View time series for prison staff in post (bands 3-5)
Down 732 from March 2025
Prisoners held in crowded accommodation
23.6%
Value for 2023-24. View time series for historic crowding data from 1998 to 2024
Up 0.7ppt from 2022-23
Prisoner on prisoner assaults per 1,000 prisoners
244
Value for 2025-26. View time series for prisoner on prisoner assaults per 1,000 prisoners
Up 7 from 2024-25
Assaults on staff per 1,000 prisoners
113
Value for 2025-26. View time series for assaults on staff per 1,000 prisoners
Down 9 from 2024-25
Self-harm incidents per 1,000 prisoners
812
Value for 2025-26. View time series for self-harm incidents per 1,000 prisoners
Down 87 from 2024-25
Self inflicted deaths
67
Value for 2025-26. View time series for self inflicted deaths
Down 26 from 2024-25
Positive random mandatory drug tests (traditional)
10.5 %
Value for 2019-20. View time series for random mandatory drug testing (traditional drugs)
Up 0.1ppt from 2018-19
Barricade or prevention of access incidents
1,964
Value for 2024-25. View time series for barricades or prevention of access
Up 137 from 2023-24
Prisons achieve rating 3 or 4 in safety/risk management audit
57.0%
Value for 4 - Outstanding performance. View breakdown for safety audit / risk management audit
Escapes from prison establishments and escorts
12
Value for 2024-25. View time series for escapes from prison establishments and escorts
Up 3 from 2023-24
Prisons achieve rating 3 or 4 in security audit
77.5%
Value for 4 - Outstanding performance. View breakdown for security audit
Electronic monitoring caseload
27,847
Value for Jun 2026. View time series for electronic monitoring caseload
Down 727 from May 2026
Staff in post (PS)
21,765
Value for March 2026. View time series for staff in post (probation service)
Up 742 from March 2025
Serious further offence convictions
357
Value for 2023/24. View time series for serious further offence convictions
Up 45 from 2022/23
Where a direction arrow is shown, this indicates an increase or decrease in the latest value of a measure when compared with the previous period of data.
Proven reoffending rate
29.9%
Value for Jul - Sep 2024. View time series for proven reoffending rate
Up 0.3ppt from Apr - Jun 2024
Housed on release from custody
83.3%
Value for Apr 2025 - Mar 2026. View time series for housed on release from custody (MI014)
Down 0.7ppt from Apr 2024 - Mar 2025
Settled accommodation at 3 months post release
81.0%
Value for Apr 2025 - Mar 2026. View time series for settled accommodation at 3 months post release from custody (mi015a/mi015sa)
Up 0.4ppt from May 2024 - Mar 2025
Settled accommodation at 3 months post community disposal
85.8%
Value for Apr 2025 - Mar 2026. View time series for settled accommodation at 3 months post community disposal (mi015b/mi015sb)
Up 0.9ppt from May 2024 - Mar 2025
Employed at 6 weeks post release from custody
20.6%
Value for Apr 2025 - Mar 2026. View time series for employed at 6 weeks post release from custody (MI016/MI016R)
Up 0.5ppt from May 2024 - Mar 2025
Employed at 6 months post release from custody
36.5%
Value for Apr 2025 - Mar 2026. View time series for employed at 6 months post release from custody (mi017a/mi017ra)
Up 2.0ppt from May 2024 - Mar 2025
Employed at 6 months post community disposal
45.2%
Value for Apr 2025 - Mar 2026. View time series for employed at 6 months post community disposal (mi017b/mi017rb)
Down 0.6ppt from May 2024 - Mar 2025
Positive random mandatory drug tests (traditional)
10.5 %
Value for 2019-20. View time series for random mandatory drug testing (traditional drugs)
Up 0.1ppt from 2018-19
Positive random mandatory drug tests for new psychoactive substances
4.3 %
Value for 2019-20. View time series for random mandatory drug testing - new psychoactive substances only
Down 4.7ppt from 2018-19
Prisoners completing treatment free from dependence
37.4%
Value for 2024-25. View time series for prisoners completing treatment free from dependence
Down 0.5ppt from 2023-24
Justice is a core public service relied upon by victims, families and businesses. Whether to resolve a business dispute, protect a child at risk, or bring an offender to justice - we aim to ensure that when our system is needed, it can be accessed swiftly (Ministry of Justice outcome delivery plan)
Where a direction arrow is shown, this indicates an increase or decrease in the latest value of a measure when compared with the previous period of data.
Crown Court disposals
114,406
Value for 2025. View time series for crown court disposals
Up 218 from 2024
Crown Court open caseload
80,098
Value for 31 Dec 2025. View time series for crown court open caseload
Up 6,082 from 31 Dec 2024
Crown Court cracked trials
31%
Value for 2025. View time series for crown court cracked trials
Up 0ppt from 2024
Crown Court ineffective trials
25%
Value for 2025. View time series for crown court ineffective trials
Down 0ppt from 2024
Magistrates' courts disposals
1,461,664
Value for 2025. View time series for magistrates' courts disposals
Up 24,815 from 2024
Employment tribunal disposals - single claims
25,669
Value for 2025/26. View time series for employment tribunal disposals - single claims
Down 3,458 from 2024/25
Employment tribunal disposals - multiple claims
19,395
Value for 2025/26. View time series for employment tribunal disposals - multiple claims
Down 12,246 from 2024/25
Number of receipts of adult rape cases at the Crown Court
1,019
Value for Jan-Mar 2026. View time series for number of receipts of adult rape cases at the crown court
Up 89 from Oct-Dec 2025
Civil courts - total judgments
1,148,962
Value for 2025. View time series for civil courts - total judgments
Up 57,930 from 2024
Family court - total cases disposed
243,583
Value for 2025. View time series for family court - total cases disposed
Down 2,902 from 2024
Tribunals disposals - overall
319,403
Value for 2025/26. View time series for tribunals disposals - overall
Up 12,967 from 2024/25
Legal aid - overall annual expenditure (£m)
1,839 (£m)
Value for 2025-26. View time series for legal aid - overall annual expenditure (£m)
Down 400 (£m) from 2024-25
Criminal justice system statistics
Measures covering the wider criminal justice system. Includes trends in the use of out of court disposals, defendants prosecuted, offenders convicted, and sentencing decisions in England and Wales.
Prisons data
The government is reforming the way prisons work in order to improve how they protect the public, keep staff and prisoners safe, and turn from crime. To do this we are holding prison governors to account for improvements in the following areas:
- protecting the public;
- maintaining safety and order;
- reforming offenders to prevent more crimes from being committed; and
- preparing prisoners for life outside the prison.
Probation data
The Probation Service is a statutory criminal justice service that supervises offenders serving community sentences or released into the community from prison. There are 12 probation regions across England and Wales. In England, the Probation Service is divided into 11 regions, with a separate, single region for Wales.
Contracted services
Some services have never been provided directly by the Department and have always been procured. In addition, the Department has renewed and renegotiated a number of contracts for areas of work that were outsourced prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice. At any one time there are over one hundred procurement projects underway. Some examples of major procurement projects undertaken by the department include but are not limited the following:
- electronic monitoring;
- maintaining the community accommodation service, Tier 2 (CAS-2) previously known as bail accommodation support services (BASS); and
- prison escorting and custodial services (PECS).
Courts data
HM Courts & Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of the criminal, civil and family courts in England and Wales, tribunals in England, and non-devolved tribunals in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
HMCTS is an executive agency, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The Ministry of Justice publishes the official statistics relating to the operation of the criminal and civil justice systems, including courts and tribunals. These are published on a quarterly basis and are the best, most comprehensive figures on this topic for most purposes.
Legal aid data
Legal aid can help meet the costs of legal advice, family mediation and representation in a court or tribunal.
You’ll usually need to show that:
- your case is eligible for legal aid
- the problem is serious
- you cannot afford to pay for legal costs