Reoffenders
(asked on 13th July 2015) - View Source
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the highest number of previous convictions for burglary was for an individual convicted of a further burglary offence; and what the sentence was for the most recent offence.
Whilst crime is falling, offenders committing serious offences are more likely to go to prison and for longer. Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, taking into account all the facts of each case. Where the offender has recent and relevant previous convictions this is a statutory aggravating factor which should increase the severity of the sentence. In addition, since December 2012 an automatic life sentence applies to any offender convicted of a second very serious sexual crime. Also, a third conviction for a domestic burglary has a minimum sentence of three years’ imprisonment.
The highest number of previous convictions for burglary for an individual convicted of a further burglary offence, and the highest number of previous convictions for sexual offences for an individual convicted of a further sexual offence, and the sentences imposed for the most recent offence are contained in the table below.
Table 1: The highest number of previous convictions1,2 of an offender convicted of the same offence and the sentence received for the most recent offence in England and Wales, 2014 | ||
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Offence type | Highest number of previous convictions for same offence type | Sentence received for most recent offence |
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Burglary | 67 | Immediate Custody |
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Sexual Offences | 19 | Suspended Sentence |
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Data Source: Ministry of Justice copy of the Police National Computer | ||
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1. Figures are based on counting the number of occasions on which offenders have previously received a conviction recorded on the Police National Computer, including some offences committed outside of England and Wales. Where there were multiple offences on the same occassion, only the primary offence as recorded on the Police National Computer would be counted. | ||
2. All data have been taken from the MoJ extract of the Police National Computer. This includes details of all convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings given for recordable offences (see www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/1139/schedule/made for definition). It is therefore possible that some offenders presented in the table above have previously also received convictions for offences not recorded on the PNC. | ||
3. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and are subject to revision in future. | ||
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The offender who received a suspended sentence for the latest sexual offence committed has previously received numerous immediate custodial sentences.