Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics: April to June 2020
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Updated Dec 10, 2020
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EmailClick to copy linkLink copiedCiteMinistry of Justice (2020). Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics: April to June 2020 [Dataset]. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/knife-and-offensive-weapon-sentencing-statistics-april-to-june-2020Dataset updatedDec 10, 2020AuthorsMinistry of JusticeDescriptionContents
2. Knife and offensive weapon offences overview
5. Sentencing under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act (CJCA) 2015
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
-
possession of an article with a blade or point
-
possession of an offensive weapon, or
-
threatening with either type of weapon
in England and Wales. It should be noted that figures for the latest year have been estimated and should be treated as provisional. Please refer to the technical guide for further details.
Accompanying files
As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release:
-
ODS format tables containing data on knife or offensive weapon offences up to June 2020
-
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.
-
An interactive https://moj-analytical-services.github.io/knife_possession_sankey/index.html" class="govuk-link">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.
This bulletin was delayed due to the COVID19 pandemic and was published in December 2020. In response to the pandemic MoJ had to change its data gathering, access and release practices, focusing efforts on priority analysis and statistics. Our statement explains this further. The period covered by this publication includes the first 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 2014 but has decreased in the last quarter. Decrease In the year ending June 2020 18,564 knife and offensive weapon offences were formally dealt with by the CJS, a decrease of 17% since the year ending June 2019. This comes after a rise of 14% from year ending June 2013 year ending June 2020. The magnitude of this increase has been affected by steep falls in the last quarter driven by changes due to the pandemic. The proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence increased to 42% in the last quarter. Increase This has increased from 36% in the same quarter last year. This reflects trends seen in other sentencing statistics and is likely to be influenced by the prioritisation of cases during the pandemic. For 70% 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 80% in the year ending June 2010 to 70% in the year ending June 2020. The average custodial sentence received by offenders sentenced under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 was 7.9 mon Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics: July to September 2022
- gov.uk
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Updated Feb 16, 2023ShareFacebookTwitterEmailClick to copy linkLink copiedCiteMinistry of Justice (2023). Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics: July to September 2022 [Dataset]. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/knife-and-offensive-weapon-sentencing-statistics-july-to-september-2022Dataset updatedFeb 16, 2023AuthorsMinistry of JusticeDescriptionContents
2. Knife and offensive weapon offences overview
5. Sentencing for repeat convictions of possession of a knife or offensive weapon
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
-
possession of an article with a blade or point
-
possession of an offensive weapon, or
-
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 unless separately specified.
Accompanying files
As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release:
-
ODS format tables containing data on knife or offensive weapon offences up to the end of September 2022
-
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.
-
An interactive https://moj-analytical-services.github.io/knife_possession_sankey/index.html" class="govuk-link">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.
This publication covers the period from year ending September 2012 to year ending September 2022. In the last three years of this period the work of the courts has been impacted by the restrictions imposed in response to the COVID pandemic, such as court closures and subsequent backlogs, and also industrial action by criminal barristers taking place between April 2022 and September 2022. This should be borne in mind when making comparisons.
Main points
Point Change Commentary The number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the Criminal Justice System (CJS) has decreased since year ending September 2021 but is still higher than at the very start of the pandemic. Decrease In year ending September 2022 19,378 knife and offensive weapon offences were formally dealt with by the CJS. This is a decrease of 5% since year ending September 2021, but is 6% higher than in year ending September 2020 which includes the lockdown at the very start of the pandemic. The proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence remained stable at 30% between year ending September 2021 and year ending September 2022. No Change This had been broadly stable at around 36%-39% between year ending September 2017 and year ending September 2020 but dropped to 30% in year ending September 2021 and remained stable over the following year. In this period there was a corresponding increase in the proportion of offenders receiving a suspended sentence. For 70% of offenders this was their first knife or offensive weapon offence. Decrease The proportion of offenders for whom this is their first knife or offensive weapon offence has been decreasing over the last decade, from 76% in year ending September 2012 to 70% in year ending September 2022 but has been roughly stable since year ending September 2017. The average custodial sentence received by offenders sentenced for convictions under Section 315 of the Sentencing Act 2020 wa Knife and offensive weapon sentencing statistics: year ending March 2020
- gov.uk
- s3.amazonaws.com
Updated Sep 10, 2020ShareFacebookTwitterEmailClick to copy linkLink copiedCiteMinistry of Justice (2020). Knife and offensive weapon sentencing statistics: year ending March 2020 [Dataset]. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/knife-and-offensive-weapon-sentencing-statistics-year-ending-march-2020Dataset updatedSep 10, 2020AuthorsMinistry of JusticeDescriptionContents
2. Knife and offensive weapon offences overview
5. Sentencing under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act (CJCA) 2015
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
-
possession of an article with a blade or point
-
possession of an offensive weapon, or
-
threatening with either type of weapon
in England and Wales. It should be noted that figures for the latest year have been estimated and should be treated as provisional. Please refer to the technical guide for further details.
Accompanying files
As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release:
-
ODS format tables containing data on knife or offensive weapon offences up to March 2020
-
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.
-
An interactive https://moj-analytical-services.github.io/knife_possession_sankey/index.html" class="govuk-link">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.
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 2014 but stabilised in the latest year. Decrease In year ending March 2020 21,498 knife and offensive weapon offences were formally dealt with by the CJS, a decrease of 3% since year ending March 2019. This comes after a rise of 35% from 16,431 in year ending March 2014 to 22,124 year ending March 2019. The proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence has remained stable for the last three years at around 38%. Increase Between year ending March 2010 and year ending March 2017 there was an increase in the proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence, from 23% to 35%, but the trend has been broadly stable at 38% over the last three years. The average length of the custodial sentences received increased from 6.5 months in year ending March 2010 to 8.1 months in year ending March 2020. For just under three quarters (71%) 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 80% in the year ending March 2010 to 71% in the year ending March 2020. The average custodial sentence received by offenders sentenced under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 was 7.9 months in year ending March 2020. Increase This has risen since year ending March 2017, the first full year after the legislation was established, where it was 7.1 months. 1. Statistician’s comment
The number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the Criminal Justice System (CJS) has b
Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics: July to September 2020
- gov.uk
- s3.amazonaws.com
Updated Dec 10, 2020ShareFacebookTwitterEmailClick to copy linkLink copiedCiteMinistry of Justice (2020). Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics: July to September 2020 [Dataset]. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/knife-and-offensive-weapon-sentencing-statistics-july-to-september-2020Dataset updatedDec 10, 2020AuthorsMinistry of JusticeDescriptionContents
2. Knife and offensive weapon offences overview
5. Sentencing under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act (CJCA) 2015
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
-
possession of an article with a blade or point
-
possession of an offensive weapon, or
-
threatening with either type of weapon
in England and Wales. It should be noted that figures for the latest year have been estimated and should be treated as provisional. Please refer to the technical guide for further details.
Accompanying files
As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release:
-
ODS format tables containing data on knife or offensive weapon offences up to September 2020
-
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.
-
An interactive https://moj-analytical-services.github.io/knife_possession_sankey/index.html" class="govuk-link">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 second 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 2014 but has stabilised in the latest year. Decrease In the year ending September 2020 18,108 knife and offensive weapon offences were formally dealt with by the CJS, a decrease of 19% since the year ending September 2019. Last quarter, April to June 2020, was the first affected by COVID-19 restrictions and there was a 51% fall in the number of offences dealt with compared to the same quarter in 2019. In this quarter the number of offences were back up, but there was still an 8% decrease compared to July to September 2019. The proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence decreased to 30% in the last quarter Decrease This has decreased from 37% in the same quarter last year. The custody rate was particularly high in April to June 2020 due to the prioritisation of cases being heard at court. For 71% 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 decreased over the last decade, from 80% in the year ending September 2010 to 71% in the year ending September 2020. The average custodial sentence received by offenders sentenced under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 was 7.7 months in the year ending September 2020. Increase This has risen since the year ending September 2017, first full year for which figures are published o 
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FacebookTwitterEmailContents
2. Knife and offensive weapon offences overview
5. Sentencing under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act (CJCA) 2015
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
-
possession of an article with a blade or point
-
possession of an offensive weapon, or
-
threatening with either type of weapon
in England and Wales. It should be noted that figures for the latest year have been estimated and should be treated as provisional. Please refer to the technical guide for further details.
Accompanying files
As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release:
-
ODS format tables containing data on knife or offensive weapon offences up to June 2020
-
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.
-
An interactive https://moj-analytical-services.github.io/knife_possession_sankey/index.html" class="govuk-link">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.
This bulletin was delayed due to the COVID19 pandemic and was published in December 2020. In response to the pandemic MoJ had to change its data gathering, access and release practices, focusing efforts on priority analysis and statistics. Our statement explains this further. The period covered by this publication includes the first 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 2014 but has decreased in the last quarter. | Decrease | In the year ending June 2020 18,564 knife and offensive weapon offences were formally dealt with by the CJS, a decrease of 17% since the year ending June 2019. This comes after a rise of 14% from year ending June 2013 year ending June 2020. The magnitude of this increase has been affected by steep falls in the last quarter driven by changes due to the pandemic. |
| The proportion of offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence increased to 42% in the last quarter. | Increase | This has increased from 36% in the same quarter last year. This reflects trends seen in other sentencing statistics and is likely to be influenced by the prioritisation of cases during the pandemic. |
| For 70% 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 80% in the year ending June 2010 to 70% in the year ending June 2020. |
| The average custodial sentence received by offenders sentenced under section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 was 7.9 mon |