Crime Outcomes in England and Wales
Source: data.gov.uk (2016-01-28)

Crime outcomes recorded by police forces in England and Wales, (previously 'Crimes Detected in England and Wales').

Source agency: Home Office

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Crime Outcomes in England and Wales

Home Office response to 2014 consultation 
with users of crime outcomes in England 
and Wales statistics 
 
The Government introduced a new crime outcomes framework in April 
2013 and this framework was expanded in April 2014. The first data based on the new 
framework were published in the Home Office statistical bulletin ‘Crime Outcomes in England 
and Wales 2013/14’ in July 2014. Within this publication, the Home Office Statistics Unit 
invited users to consider a number of changes proposed for the next annual publication in 
July 2015, which will be the first publication of annual data based on the broader outcomes 
framework. We would like to thank those who took the time to respond both formally and 
informally. 
 
This document summarises the responses and views of users and sets-out the Home Office 
Statistics Unit’s intentions for the future collection and publication of crime outcomes data. 
Informal feedback from police forces has also been considered when determining this 
approach. 
 
Summarised user responses to each of the questions, and where appropriate, our course of 
action are below. 
 
1. HOW DO YOU USE THE OUTCOMES (AND FORMER DETECTIONS) 
PUBLICATIONS? 
 
Summary of responses received: 
 
Outcomes are routinely used within police forces to monitor performance and measure 
progress. The new outcomes introduced from April 2013 have been used to better understand 
why some investigations do not result in criminal prosecutions. 
 
The new outcomes categories provide users and victims alike with a better understanding of 
how different types of crimes are resolved by the police and add significant transparency to 
police work. 
 
2. DO YOU FIND IT HELPFUL TO SEE OUTCOMES SHOWN BOTH IN 
TERMS OF THE TOTAL OUTCOMES RECORDED IN A PERIOD, AND 
THOSE THAT SPECIFICALLY RELATE TO CRIMES RECORDED IN THAT 
PERIOD? 
 
See 3 below. 
 
 
 

3. DO YOU FIND ONE OF THESE APPROACHES MORE USEFUL THAN THE 
OTHER? IF SO, WHY? 
 
Summary of responses received: 
 
It was recognised that crime outcomes are integral to police recorded crime statistics and for 
understanding how the police deal with crimes. While there are merits to both approaches, 
the established approach of considering all outcomes recorded in a year regardless of the 
offence recording date (which gives a picture of police activity in the year) was seen to be 
useful in explaining how police investigations had concluded during a period, but could have 
the potential to be misinterpreted, for example if outcome rates for a period are skewed by a 
high number of outcomes relating to offences recorded in an earlier period. 
 
There was strong interest in considering those outcomes linked to offences recorded in the 
same year, which can give an overview of how crimes recorded by the police in a particular 
period are dealt with and can also give an impression of the length of time investigations can 
take.  
 
Home Office future approach: 
 
As well as maintaining the traditional approach, the Home Office will also collect and present 
data on outcomes linked to crimes recorded in the same year. We anticipate that this new 
approach will increasingly become the primary focus when considering crime outcomes 
statistics. 
 
The Home Office already receives information on the number of outcomes referenced to the 
period in which the crime was recorded from police forces that are ‘live’ on the Home Office 
Data Hub (HODH) because outcome and crime recorded date are mandatory to provide via 
the HODH. Presenting data for these forces is therefore straightforward. In July 2014 the 
Home Office published provisional analysis for forces that were providing these data via the 
HODH. 
 
For other forces not providing data via the HODH, the Home Office has now made a request 
to capture these data. This collection has been discussed with the national lead, Chief 
Constable Jeff Farrar, and the National Crime Recording Standard Strategy and Steering 
Group (NCRSSG). While it is voluntary for forces to complete the return, we anticipate the 
already high level of interest in these data to increase and hope that this will encourage forces 
to provide these data. We have asked all forces not providing data via the HODH to provide 
the data on a quarterly basis, sending separate data for each month in that quarter. Once all 
forces are ‘live’ on the HODH a separate collection will no longer be required. 
 
4. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE NEW OUTCOME TYPES 
GROUPED WHEN THE DATA ARE PRESENTED IN FUTURE? IF SO, 
WHAT GROUPS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? 
 
Summary of responses received: 
 
Respondents expressed a clear desire for outcomes data under the new framework to be 
carefully presented, and for the individual outcomes to be grouped appropriately. A number of 
potential options were suggested with some common themes.   
 
Home Office future approach: 
 
The Home Office is aware that police forces use different groupings of outcomes for their own 
purposes and will continue to consult forces on the most appropriate groupings via the 
National Crime Recording Strategic Steering Group. 

5. HOW USEFUL DID YOU FIND THE ANALYSIS ON THE GAP BETWEEN 
OFFENCES BEING RECORDED AND OUTCOMES BEING RECORDED? 
COULD THIS ANALYSIS BE IMPROVED IN ANY WAY? 
Summary of responses received: 
 
This analysis was judged to be interesting, although its practical use for understanding the 
efficiency of police investigation was limited.  It was recognised that the date an outcome is 
recorded only represents when it is added to a force’s crime recording system. Additionally, it 
was acknowledged that there is significant variation in the time interval between crime 
reporting and outcomes for different offence classifications. 
 
However, some users felt it provided additional context to the complexity of police 
investigations in different crime types and added further transparency. 
 
It was thought unlikely that the manual collection of data from non-HODH forces would be 
precise enough to be meaningful when presented in this way.  
 
Home Office future approach: 
 
The Home Office plans to keep this analysis in the annual crime outcomes publication for the 
HODH forces only, carefully explaining what it represents. As more forces move to providing 
data via the HODH (with all forces ‘live’ by April 2016) the analysis may become more 
valuable. 
 
6. WOULD YOU FIND IT HELPFUL IF A BASIC SET OF TABLES ON 
OUTCOMES WERE MADE AVAILABLE ON A QUARTERLY BASIS? 
 
Summary of responses received: 
Respondents responded positively to the idea of publishing more frequent data which would 
give users access to more timely data, with indication that updates should be published on at 
least a quarterly basis. 
 
Home Office future approach: 
 
At present, outcome statistics are published on an annual basis (in July), with the statistics 
published covering the previous financial year.  
 
From July 2015 we intend to publish a set of core tables on outcomes on a quarterly basis. 
These will show: 
 
o 
The total number of outcomes recorded in the previous quarter, by outcome type and 
offence type. 
o 
The outcomes assigned to offences recorded in the previous quarter, i.e. how many 
resulted in charges, cautions, and so on. 
 
It is likely the second of these will be revised considerably from one quarter to the next, as 
more offences from the period are given an outcome, until eventually all offences recorded in 
a given period will have been given an outcome. This table will therefore be accompanied by 
explanatory commentary. 
 
 
 

7. ARE THERE ANY OTHER WAYS IN WHICH YOU THINK THE CHANGES 
COULD BE PRESENTED BETTER? 
 
Summary of responses received: 
 
There was some interest in more frequent publication (e.g. monthly).  Some users suggested 
additional analysis by particular types of crimes (rather than categories), where the HODH 
may allow it, for example outcomes for offences that occurred several years ago, or by nature 
of offence, such as hate crime. 
 
Home Office future approach: 
 
The Home Office Statistics Unit will continue to request further feedback from users and to 
monitor emerging needs, working to address these wherever possible. We will consider 
additional dimensions to the analysis which is in line with our approach to take advantage of 
case level information from the HODH. From July 2015 the Home Office plans to provide the 
open data table for outcomes on a quarterly basis which will provide raw data for users to 
analyse further. Due to resource implications (both for collecting data from non-HODH forces 
and compiling, analysing and publishing these), we do not intend to publish monthly updates 
at this stage. We will continue to seek new ways to present crime and outcome data in as 
useful way as possible for our users.  
 
Home Office Statistics Unit  
February 2015