Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what steps she is taking to increase prosecution rates for (a) theft, (b) criminal damage and arson and (c) public order offences.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviews all cases received from the police, using the two-stage test (sufficient evidence for a reasonable prospect of conviction and an assessment of public interest factors) to determine suitability for prosecution. The volume of prosecutions is therefore determined by the number of cases received from the police which pass the two-stage test.

CPS data from the period April – June 2023 (our most recent available figures) shows high conviction rates for theft, criminal damage (including arson), and public order offences.

Across this period, the conviction rate for theft and handling was 91.1%. In the same quarter, the conviction rate for criminal damage (including arson) was 84.8%. The conviction rate for public order offences was 81.5%.