Knife possession sentencing quarterly brief: January to March 2017
Source: data.gov.uk (2018-05-25)

Knife Possession Sentencing Statistics. This series of publications contain key statistics describing trends in cautioning and sentencing, probation supervision and the prison population for offences involving the possession of a knife or offensive weapon in England and Wales.

Published 8 June 2017 
Knife Possession Sentencing Quarterly, England 
and Wales – January to March 2017 
Main points 
 5,184 knife possession 
offences dealt with by the CJS
 The number of knife possession offences dealt with 
by the CJS has risen by 11% since Q1 2016, and is 
accounted for primarily by increases in blade or 
point offences. This figure has increased across a 
majority of police force areas in this time period. 
39% of adult offenders and 13% 
of juvenile offenders were 
given an immediate custodial 
sentence
 
This represents an increase of 20 percentage points 
for adult offenders and 7 percentage points for 
juvenile offenders since Q1 2008. 
7% of adult offenders received 
a caution
 For adults, this is the lowest rate since this 
publication series began, almost a decade ago. 
The average custodial sentence 
length was 7.6 months
 For those sentenced to immediate custody, the 
average custodial sentence length for knife 
possession offences has risen by 2.8 months (58%) 
since Q1 2008. 
86% of adult repeat offenders 
received a custodial sentence
 This figure has increased by 2 percentage points 
when compared to Q1 2016 for offenders convicted 
under section 22 of the Criminal Justice and Courts 
Act 2015.  
 
Presented are key statistics describing the trends in both the number of offenders 
receiving cautions and convictions, and those in prison for knife possession offences in 
England and Wales. It should be noted that figures for the latest quarter (January to 
March) are provisional. For technical detail, please refer to the accompanying technical 
guide to knife possession sentencing statistics1.  
 
                                               
1 www.gov.uk/government/collections/knife-possession-sentencing-quarterly  
We are changing how our quarterly bulletins look, and would welcome any 
feedback to xxx@xxx.xx 
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1. Knife possession offences overview 
5,184 knife possession offences were formally dealt with by the Criminal Justice 
System (CJS) in Q1 2017 
 
The number of knife possession offences dealt with by the CJS has risen by 11% 
since Q1 2016. This change has been driven by the increase in the number of blade 
or point possession offences. 
Figure 1: Knife possession offences resulting in a caution or conviction, and prison 
population under sentence for a knife possession offence2, England and Wales, Q1 
2008 – Q1 2017 (Source: Table 1) 
 
Due to technical problems relating to the supply of statistical information, it is not possible to provide prison population figures 
from July 2009 to March 2010 
Between 2007 and 2014 there was a gradual decline in the number of knife possession 
offences dealt with by the CJS. Over the same period there was a decline in the number of 
knife possession offenders in prison. 
Since Q1 2015, both of these trends have reversed. However, the number of offenders in 
prison for knife possession offences has risen much faster than the total number of offences 
dealt with in this period, as shown in Figure 1. 
This can be explained at least in part by the fact that the proportion of offenders being 
sentenced to immediate custody has increased from 31% to 34% during this period and 
their average sentence length rose from 7.5 to 7.6 months. Therefore, more of these 
offenders are going to prison, and are staying there for longer. 
                                               
2 Includes offensive weapons. Knife possession figures for last four quarters are estimates – see technical 
guidance for details. 

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2. Cautions vs. Custodial sentences 
39% of adult offenders and 13% of juvenile offenders were given an immediate 
custodial sentence 
 
This represents an increase of 20 percentage points for adult offenders and 7 
percentage points for juvenile offenders since Q1 2008. 
7% of adult offenders and 28% of juvenile offenders received a caution 
 
These figures have fallen by 24 percentage points for adult offenders and 19 
percentage points for juvenile offenders since Q1 2008. This is the lowest rate for 
adults since Q4 2007. 
The average custodial sentence length was 7.6 months 
 
For those sentenced to immediate custody, the average custodial sentence length for 
knife possession offences has risen by 2.8 months (58%) since Q1 2008 
Figure 2: Proportion of adult and juvenile offenders given cautions or immediate 
custodial sentences for knife possession offences in England and Wales, Q1 2008 to 
Q1 2017 (Source: Table 2) 
 
The most common disposal for a knife possession offence received by adults continues to 
be immediate custody (39%) followed by suspended sentence (25%) and community 
sentence (17%). For juveniles the most common disposals were community sentence 
(53%), caution (28%) and immediate custody (13%). 
A quarter (24%) of all knife possession offences in the year ending March 2017 resulting in 
a caution or conviction were prosecuted by the Metropolitan Police. Outcomes for knife 
possession offences have increased across a majority of police force areas. 

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3. Minimum sentencing for repeat offences involving 
possession of a knife or offensive weapon offences 
86% of adult repeat offenders received a custodial sentence 
 
This figure increased by 2 percentage points when compared to the same quarter in 
the previous year for offenders convicted under section 22 of the Criminal Justice 
and Courts Act 20153. 
Figure 3: Adult repeat offenders dealt with by the criminal justice system, by disposal 
type, in Q1 2016 and Q1 2017 
 
  
The number of repeat knife possession sentencing occasions increased from 837 in Q1 
2016 to an estimated 1,129 cases Q1 2017.  
Those offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence had an average sentence 
length of 7.2 months. 
 
Of the 1,129 occasions, 1,043 were adults, 60% of whom received immediate custodial 
sentences – a fall of 4 percentage points on Q1 2016. An additional 25% received a 
suspended sentence order, this has increased 5 percentage points since Q1 2016.  
The remaining 86 cases in Q1 2017 were 16 to 17 year-olds; 49% received an immediate 
custodial sentence and 45% received a community sentence. The proportion receiving a 
community sentence has gone up by 1 percentage point since Q1 2016, while those getting 
immediate custody remained the same. 
The proportion of 16 to 17 year olds getting a community sentence is higher than that of 
adults because a non-custodial sentence may be given where the offender pleads guilty 
(94% of 16 to 17 year olds pleaded guilty in this period, and young offenders cannot receive 
a custodial sentence of less than four months in the Youth Court).  
                                               
3 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/2/part/1/crossheading/repeat-offences-involving-offensive-weapons-etc 

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Further information 
The data presented in this publication are provisional. Figures provided for more recent 
quarters are subject to change in future publications as ongoing cases pass through the 
Criminal Justice System. 
A technical guide providing further information on how the data is collected and processed, 
as well as information on the revisions policy and legislation relevant to knife possession 
sentencing can be found at 
www.gov.uk/government/collections/knife-possession-sentencing-quarterly  
 
Accompanying files 
As well as this bulletin, the following products are published as part of this release: 
 
A set of tables 
 
Official Statistics status 
Official statistics are produced under the remit of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. 
They are produced impartially and are free from political influence. More information can be 
found on the UK Statistics Authority website, accessible via the link below. 
www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/monitoring-and-assessment/code-of-practice/ 
 
Contact 
Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office: 
Tel: xx-xxxx-xxxx 
Email: xxx@xxx.xx  
Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to the Justice Statistics Analytical 
Services division of the Ministry of Justice: 
Craig Medhurst, Ministry of Justice, 7th Floor, 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ 
Email: xxx@xxx.xx 
 
Next update: 14 September 2017 
www.gov.uk/government/collections/knife-possession-sentencing-quarterly  
 
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Produced by the Ministry of Justice 
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