Background to the Research

• The CJPD of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency produces an annual commentary in relation to sentencing in Northern Ireland. However, in response to calls for a more detailed analysis of sentencing trends, the CJPD produced this one-off summary of sentencing in the years 1993-1997.
  

Research Approach

• The report summaries data collated by the police force in Northern Ireland in relation to types of offences, pleas, outcomes and sentencing regarding adults and juveniles between 1993-1997.
  

Main Findings

• There were 1,128 prosecutions in the Crown Court in 1997, 6% less than in 1996 (1,205) and 24% less than in 1988 (1,486).
• 34,471 defendants were proceeded against in magistrates Courts in 1997, a 1% decrease on 1996 and a fall of 27% on 1988 (47,225).
• Whether in magistrates' or Crown court, the majority of defendants pleaded guilty - 85% in the magistrates' courts and 88% in the Crown court in 1997. In the same year, of those pleading not guilty 85% were acquitted in the magistrates' courts and 63% in the Crown court.
• At the Crown court in 1997, 57% (590) of those found guilty were put into immediate custody, 21% (220) were given suspended sentences, and 9% (84) were sentenced to community service. In the magistrates court, a fine was the most common disposal for indictable and summary offences and was opposed in 36% (4,008) of cases.
• At the Crown court, violent crimes (especially sexual offences) were most likely to be dealt with by immediate or suspended custody (90% - 530) in 1993 and 85% (372) in 1997. This held for property crime 72% (224) in 1993 and 76% (184) in 1997. In the case of motoring offences, the use of fines fell from 40% (8) in 1993 to 22% (6) in 1997, at the same time, immediate custodial sentences rose from 25% (5) in 1993 to 48% (13) in 1997.
• The number of juveniles convicted of summary offences at magistrates' court rose by 58% from 125 in 1993 to 198 in 1997. For juvenile violent offenders, there was a 39% rise in numbers sentenced at all courts, from 54 in 1993 to 75 in 1997. Juvenile motoring offences rose by 30% from 44 in 1993 to 57 in 1997.
• Convictions for violent offences (including sexual offences) fell by 26% from 587 in 1993 to 436 in 1997. Convictions for property offences fell by 23% from 315 in 1993 to 242 in 1997.
• The number of convictions for drug offences rose by 631% from 29 in 1993 to 212 in 1997. Sexual offences rose by 12% from 66 convictions in 1993 to 74 in 1997.
• At the Crown Court, and in relation to property offences, the trend is moving from the use of immediate custody towards suspended custody. For 17-24 year olds convicted of violent offences, the use of immediate custody also fell, with a rise in the use of suspended custody and community supervision.
• Convictions at the magistrates' courts for violent offences (including sexual offences) rose by 8% from 1,372 in 1993 to 1,476 in 1996, falling by 1% to 1,454 in 1997. Convictions for sexual offences rose by 60% from 60 in 1993 to 96 in 1996, then fell by 42% to 56 in 1997.
• Convictions at the magistrates' courts for property offences fell by 19% from 5,198 in 1993 to 4,232 in 1997. For drug offences, the numbers convicted rose by 45% from 394 in 1993 to 571 in 1995, then fell by 45% to 313 in 1997.
• The number of people sentenced to immediate custody at the Crown Court for violent, property or drug offences has fallen overall from 595 in 1993 to 517 in 1997. The decrease held for males, females, and for those aged between 17-24 years.
• At the Crown Court the trend has seen an increasing use of shorter sentences for violent offenders. In 1993, 46% (161) of males sentenced to prison for violent offences were given a term exceeding 5 years. In 1997, the equivalent proportion was 25% (57). For 17-24 year olds the proportion given a sentence of more than 5 years fell from 47% (62) in 1993 to 26% (13) in 1997.
• For property offenders, the most common sentence was 2 years or less, 83% (86) of males sentenced to prison for property offences in 1993 received a term of 2 years or less, falling to 71% (53) in 1997. Drug offenders were also most commonly dealt with by a sentence of 2 years or less, in 1993 54% (6) of males sentenced to prison received a sentence of 2 years, this rose to 75% (84) in 1997.