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Drugs: Crime

Answer

Data showing the number of defendants proceeded against, found not guilty, fined and imprisoned (and respective percentage rates of the number proceeded against) for possession and dealing in cannabis in England and Wales 1997 to 2006 are in the following table.Information on the number accused is not held by my Department, proceeded against data have been supplied in lieu.Data for 2007 will be available at the end of November 2008.The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found not guilty, fined and imprisoned at all courts for possession and dealing¹ in cannabis, England and Wales, 1997 to 2006²,³
		Found not guilty	Fined	Immediate custody
	Proceeded against	Number	Percentage of those proceeded against	Number	Percentage of those proceeded against	Number	Percentage of those proceeded against
1997
Possession of cannabis	18,940	1,665	9	11,890	63	268	1
Dealing in cannabis	5,063	1,150	23	357	7	1,779	35
1998
Possession of cannabis	24,395	1,752	7	15,503	64	410	2
Dealing in cannabis	5,053	963	19	399	8	1,940	38
1999
Possession of cannabis	24,322	1,699	7	15,215	63	451	2
Dealing in cannabis	4,497	1,083	24	313	7	1,685	37
2000
Possession of cannabis	22,304	1,578	7	13,638	61	361	2
Dealing in cannabis	3,195	526	16	231	7	1,213	38
2001
Possession of cannabis	22,705	1,953	9	12,960	57	290	1
Dealing in cannabis	2,593	622	24	160	6	883	34
2002
Possession of cannabis	25,976	2,321	9	14,123	54	241	1
Dealing in cannabis	2,545	565	22	154	6	805	32
2003
Possession of cannabis	27,871	2,157	8	15,172	54	288	1
Dealing in cannabis	2,790	798	29	144	5	697	25
2004
Possession of cannabis	14,646	1,326	9	6,972	48	161	1
Dealing in cannabis	2,142	439	20	122	6	576	27
2005
Possession of cannabis	13,040	945	7	6,316	48	136	1
Dealing in cannabis	2,176	790	36	87	4	407	19
2006
Possession of cannabis	13,450	914	7	6,368	47	141	1
Dealing in cannabis	2,216	874	39	50	2	341	15
¹ Includes supply and possession with intent to supply
² These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
³ Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
Source:
Evidence and Analysis Unit—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice IOS 554-08

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

482 c1349-52W; 234485

Session

2007-08

Subjects

Crime Cannabis

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk