Justice in numbers

Headline measures

The release of the latest criminal courts statistics has been postponed for further quality assurance following concerns about the quality of key data inputs. Please refer to the statement at the top of the access to justice section.


Crime figures from Crime Survey for England and Wales

Incidents of crime against households and adults estimated from the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Includes fraud and computer misuse.

Figures are survey estimates and subject to sampling variance. Therefore, figures in this chart are rounded to the nearest 100,000 incidents.

Due to the suspension of the CSEW, data are not available between the year ending March 2020 and the year ending March 2022.

Period Crime figures from Crime Survey for England and Wales
Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 11.2 million
Apr 2017 to Mar 2018 10.7 million
Apr 2018 to Mar 2019 11.2 million
Apr 2019 to Mar 2020 10.2 million
Apr 2020 to Mar 2021
Apr 2021 to Mar 2022
Apr 2022 to Mar 2023 8.7 million
Apr 2023 to Mar 2024 8.8 million

Apr 2023 to Mar 2024

8.8 million

Update Jun 2024

In the 12 months to Jun 2024 there were 9.2 million incidents of crime estimated from the CSEW.

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Crime in England and Wales (quarterly) publication.

Publication date

Published: 24 October 2024.


Police recorded crime in England and Wales

Police recorded crime statistics based on data from all 43 forces in England and Wales (including the British Transport Police). All offences including fraud and computer misuse (recorded by Action Fraud or referred to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau since April 2011).

Period Police recorded crime in England and Wales
Apr 2002 to Mar 2003 6.0 million
Apr 2003 to Mar 2004 6.0 million
Apr 2004 to Mar 2005 5.6 million
Apr 2005 to Mar 2006 5.6 million
Apr 2006 to Mar 2007 5.4 million
Apr 2007 to Mar 2008 5.0 million
Apr 2008 to Mar 2009 4.7 million
Apr 2009 to Mar 2010 4.3 million
Apr 2010 to Mar 2011 4.2 million
Apr 2011 to Mar 2012 4.4 million
Apr 2012 to Mar 2013 4.1 million
Apr 2013 to Mar 2014 4.0 million
Apr 2014 to Mar 2015 4.2 million
Apr 2015 to Mar 2016 4.5 million
Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 5.0 million
Apr 2017 to Mar 2018 5.5 million
Apr 2018 to Mar 2019 6.0 million
Apr 2019 to Mar 2020 6.1 million
Apr 2020 to Mar 2021 5.4 million
Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 6.3 million
Apr 2022 to Mar 2023 6.7 million
Apr 2023 to Mar 2024 6.7 million

Apr 2023 to Mar 2024

6.7 million

Update Jun 2024

In the 12 months to Jun 2024 there were 6.7 million offences of crime recorded by police.

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Crime in England and Wales (quarterly) publication.

Publication date

Published: 24 October 2024.


Estimated total cost of crime in England and Wales

The economic and social costs of crime estimates are important in helping to develop an understanding of the wider costs and benefits associated with changes in the number of crimes.

The linked report estimates the total costs of crime in England and Wales in 2015/16 to be approximately £50bn for crimes against individuals and £9bn for crimes against businesses. Violent crimes make up the largest proportion of the total costs of individual crime - almost three quarters - but only one third of the number of crimes.

For the source of this information and more details please refer to the publication: The economic and social costs of crime

Published: 23 July 2018.

2015/16

£58.9bn


Prison population

Total number of prisoners at a specific point in time each year.

The time period for this measure refers to a single reference value or snapshot, in this case the population on a single day, rather than a duration such as 3 months or a year.

Period Prison population
30-Jun-2002 71,218
30-Jun-2003 73,657
30-Jun-2004 74,488
30-Jun-2005 76,190
30-Jun-2006 77,982
30-Jun-2007 79,734
30-Jun-2008 83,194
30-Jun-2009 83,391
30-Jun-2010 85,002
30-Jun-2011 85,374
30-Jun-2012 86,048
30-Jun-2013 83,842
30-Jun-2014 85,509
30-Jun-2015 86,193
30-Jun-2016 85,134
30-Jun-2017 85,863
30-Jun-2018 82,773
30-Jun-2019 82,710
30-Jun-2020 79,514
30-Jun-2021 78,324
30-Jun-2022 80,659
30-Jun-2023 85,851
30-Jun-2024 87,726

30-Jun-2024

87,726

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Offender management statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 25 July 2024. Next publication: 31 October 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 November 2024.


Probation caseload

The statistics count each person once for each type of probation supervision being received on the date shown. In addition, each person is counted once only in each total or sub-total even if they are subject to several types of probation supervision on the date shown. For example, if a person is subject to both a community order and a Supervision Default Order on the date shown, then the person would be counted once only within the overall total for all supervision.

Period Probation caseload
30 Jun 2010 239,041
30 Jun 2011 236,154
30 Jun 2012 230,736
30 Jun 2013 219,548
30 Jun 2014 217,866
30 Jun 2015 228,844
30 Jun 2016 258,748
30 Jun 2017 262,347
30 Sep 2017 265,047
31 Dec 2017 264,649
31 Mar 2018 262,758
30 Jun 2018 261,196
30 Sep 2018 258,157
31 Dec 2018 256,010
31 Mar 2019 255,264
30 Jun 2019 254,165
30 Sep 2019 252,197
31 Dec 2019 247,759
31 Mar 2020 241,350
30 Jun 2020 224,587
30 Sep 2020 222,657
31 Dec 2020 223,973
31 Mar 2021 224,174
30 Jun 2021 230,578
30 Sep 2021 234,827
31 Dec 2021 238,500
31 Mar 2022 240,922
30 Jun 2022 243,127
30 Sep 2022 240,674
31 Dec 2022 240,431
31 Mar 2023 239,518
30 Jun 2023 238,264
30 Sep 2023 238,163
31 Dec 2023 238,765
31 Mar 2024 239,015

31 Mar 2024

239,015

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Offender management statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 25 July 2024. Next publication: 31 October 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 November 2024.


Proven reoffending rate

Proportion of all offenders who reoffend (%).

Although not directly affected by the operational restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this latest offender cohort period does overlap with a period of on-going recovery for the courts and with the Criminal Bar Association strikes.

Period Proven reoffending rate
Apr - Jun 2009 30.7%
Jul - Sep 2009 30.9%
Oct - Dec 2009 31.0%
Jan - Mar 2010 31.3%
Apr - Jun 2010 31.3%
Jul - Sep 2010 31.5%
Oct - Dec 2010 31.7%
Jan - Mar 2011 31.8%
Apr - Jun 2011 31.8%
Jul - Sep 2011 31.6%
Oct - Dec 2011 30.9%
Jan - Mar 2012 30.8%
Apr - Jun 2012 30.8%
Jul - Sep 2012 30.8%
Oct - Dec 2012 30.8%
Jan - Mar 2013 31.3%
Apr - Jun 2013 31.7%
Jul - Sep 2013 31.5%
Oct - Dec 2013 30.7%
Jan - Mar 2014 30.6%
Apr - Jun 2014 30.5%
Jul - Sep 2014 30.3%
Oct - Dec 2014 29.8%
Jan - Mar 2015 29.4%
Apr - Jun 2015 29.5%
Jul - Sep 2015 29.2%
Oct - Dec 2015 29.6%
Jan - Mar 2016 29.6%
Apr - Jun 2016 29.4%
Jul - Sep 2016 29.5%
Oct - Dec 2016 29.4%
Jan - Mar 2017 29.2%
Apr - Jun 2017 29.8%
Jul - Sep 2017 29.3%
Oct - Dec 2017 28.8%
Jan - Mar 2018 28.7%
Apr - Jun 2018 28.8%
Jul - Sep 2018 28.6%
Oct - Dec 2018 28.1%
Jan - Mar 2019 26.7%
Apr - Jun 2019 26.3%
Jul - Sep 2019 26.0%
Oct - Dec 2019 25.2%
Jan - Mar 2020 24.7%
Apr - Jun 2020 29.0%
Jul - Sep 2020 23.5%
Oct - Dec 2020 23.1%
Jan - Mar 2021 24.3%
Apr - Jun 2021 24.8%
Jul - Sep 2021 25.2%
Oct - Dec 2021 25.4%
Jan - Mar 2022 25.5%
Apr - Jun 2022 25.8%
Jul - Sep 2022 26.5%

Jul - Sep 2022

26.5%

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Proven reoffending statistics (quarterly) publication.

Publication date

Published: 25 July 2024. Next publication: 31 October 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 November 2024.


Crown court disposals

A count of the number of cases only when all the offences have been completed (following a validation process) in the reporting period. Disposals figures in this report may change if the case results are entered after the first collation of the data.

The release of the latest statistics has been postponed for further quality assurance following concerns about the quality of key data inputs. Please refer to the statement here: Access to justice - Justice in numbers - Justice Data.

Period Crown court disposals
Jan - Dec 2014 129,007
Jan - Dec 2015 130,756
Jan - Dec 2016 123,214
Jan - Dec 2017 115,701
Jan - Dec 2018 105,743
Jan - Dec 2019 99,627
Jan - Dec 2020 78,205
Jan - Dec 2021 95,772
Jan - Dec 2022 91,734
Jan - Dec 2023 99,304

Jan - Dec 2023

99,304

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Criminal court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 28 March 2024. Next publication: 19 December 2024 9:30am.


Crown court outstanding

A count of all cases where one or more offence remains incomplete. The data is a snapshot based on outstanding cases on the final day of the reporting period. This is a count of live cases on the system and is not a calculation based on receipts and disposals. Transferred cases may be double counted for a period while they show in both sending and receiving courts; offences subsequently entered in error may change the categorisation of the case.

The release of the latest statistics has been postponed for further quality assurance following concerns about the quality of key data inputs. Please refer to the statement here: Access to justice - Justice in numbers - Justice Data.

Period Crown court outstanding
31 Dec 2014 55,923
31 Dec 2015 51,585
31 Dec 2016 42,942
31 Dec 2017 38,841
31 Dec 2018 32,936
31 Dec 2019 38,030
31 Dec 2020 56,993
31 Dec 2021 58,503
31 Dec 2022 62,628
31 Dec 2023 67,573

31 Dec 2023

67,573

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Criminal court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 28 March 2024. Next publication: 19 December 2024 9:30am.


Magistrates' courts disposals

A count of the number of cases only when all the offences have been completed (following a validation process) in the reporting period. Disposals figures in this report may change if the case results are entered after the first collation of the data.

The release of the latest statistics has been postponed for further quality assurance following concerns about the quality of key data inputs. Please refer to the statement here: Access to justice - Justice in numbers - Justice Data.

Period Magistrates' courts disposals
Jan - Dec 2012 1,179,639
Jan - Dec 2013 1,556,261
Jan - Dec 2014 1,570,660
Jan - Dec 2015 1,594,051
Jan - Dec 2016 1,566,357
Jan - Dec 2017 1,509,022
Jan - Dec 2018 1,456,735
Jan - Dec 2019 1,441,903
Jan - Dec 2020 1,041,013
Jan - Dec 2021 1,174,297
Jan - Dec 2022 1,266,305
Jan - Dec 2023 1,338,015

Jan - Dec 2023

1,338,015

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Criminal court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 28 March 2024. Next publication: 19 December 2024 9:30am.


Civil courts - total judgments

Total number of judgments in the county courts. Some civil cases are resolved via mediation or settled out of court and don't proceed to a judgment.

Period Civil courts - total judgments
Jan - Dec 2009 982,464
Jan - Dec 2010 794,311
Jan - Dec 2011 748,586
Jan - Dec 2012 663,457
Jan - Dec 2013 667,168
Jan - Dec 2014 831,541
Jan - Dec 2015 867,665
Jan - Dec 2016 1,055,035
Jan - Dec 2017 1,284,364
Jan - Dec 2018 1,291,142
Jan - Dec 2019 1,323,750
Jan - Dec 2020 727,438
Jan - Dec 2021 980,474
Jan - Dec 2022 901,278
Jan - Dec 2023 1,058,964

Jan - Dec 2023

1,058,964

Update Jun 2024

In the 3 months to 30 Jun 2024 there were 238,000 estimated total judgments.

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Civil justice statistics (quarterly) publication.

Publication date

Published: 5 September 2024. Next publication: 05 December 2024 9:30am.


Family court - total cases disposed

Total cases disposed at family court.

Data for 2023 to 2024 are not available. Please refer to the data quality issues section of the accompanying bulletin for further details.

Period Family court - total cases disposed
Jan - Dec 2011 233,527
Jan - Dec 2012 234,759
Jan - Dec 2013 240,711
Jan - Dec 2014 248,774
Jan - Dec 2015 221,512
Jan - Dec 2016 228,650
Jan - Dec 2017 226,610
Jan - Dec 2018 213,988
Jan - Dec 2019 233,918
Jan - Dec 2020 225,536
Jan - Dec 2021 249,256
Jan - Dec 2022 203,661
Jan - Dec 2023

Jan - Dec 2023

-

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 26 September 2024. Next publication: 19 December 2024 9:30am.


Tribunals disposals - overall

The overall total for 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 is unavailable due to migration of some tribunals.

An 'Interim Total' has been calculated. This is the sum of all the tribunals excluding those tribunals with data missing or incomplete i.e. Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). These tribunals are being migrated to a new case management system and will be made available as soon as possible.

The interim total is not available for 2021/22 due to this tribunal being migrated to a new case management system.

Period Tribunals disposals - overall
Apr 2007 - Mar 2008 550,148
Apr 2008 - Mar 2009 568,671
Apr 2009 - Mar 2010 649,920
Apr 2010 - Mar 2011 719,623
Apr 2011 - Mar 2012 739,747
Apr 2012 - Mar 2013 739,723
Apr 2013 - Mar 2014 869,105
Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 640,414
Apr 2015 - Mar 2016 364,860
Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 386,709
Apr 2017 - Mar 2018 400,659
Apr 2018 - Mar 2019 392,575
Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 373,642
Apr 2020 - Mar 2021 263,572
Apr 2021 - Mar 2022
Apr 2022 - Mar 2023 297,021
Apr 2023 - Mar 2024 348,068

Apr 2023 - Mar 2024

348,068

Update

In the 3 months to 30 Jun 2024 the interim total number of tribunals disposals was 83,197.

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Tribunals statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 3 October 2024. Next publication: 12 December 2024 9:30am.