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Offensive Weapons: Convictions

Answer

I have been asked to reply.The number of offenders that were charged with carrying an offensive weapon is not available. Data relating to possession of an offensive weapon is based on offences resulting in a caution or sentence.The table shows the number of offences involving the possession of an offensive weapon resulting in a caution or sentence between Ql 2008 (January to March) to Q3 2009 (July to September) in England and Wales.This table has been taken from the Ministry of Justice's publication "Knife Crime Sentencing: Quarterly Brief" published on 10 December 2009 and available from"http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/knife-crime-sentencing.htm"Further regional breakdowns by police force area are not given as the numbers are too small for reliable interpretation.

Offences¹ involving possession of an offensive weapon resulting in a caution or a sentence
Number of offences and percentage
Disposal category	Q1 2008	Q2 2008	Q3 2008	Q4 2008	Q1 2009	Q2 2009	Q3 2009
Number of offences
Possession of an offensive weapon	3,751	3,639	3,665	3,475	3,217	3,183	3,101
Caution²	1,586	1,602	1,393	1,218	1,138	1,105	1,092
Absolute/Conditional discharge	203	169	102	83	91	93	92
Fine	166	112	113	134	122	114	106
Community sentence	964	881	977	976	886	911	830
Suspended sentence	248	266	320	330	309	342	331
Immediate custody	497	518	681	623	606	551	498
Other disposal	87	91	79	111	65	67	152
Percentage of total offences
Caution²	42	44	38	35	35	35	35
Community sentence	26	24	27	28	28	29	27
Suspended sentence	7	7	9	9	10	11	11
Immediate custody	13	14	19	18	19	17	16
¹ As recorded by the police on the police national computer.
² Cautions include juveniles receiving reprimands and final warnings.
Notes:
1. These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer (PNC), which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
2. PNC data has been used here rather than court data, which is the usual source of published sentencing statistics, as PNC data provides more up to date figures ahead of the finalised annual court data.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

503 c148-50W; 306268

Session

2009-10

Subjects

Offensive weapons Sentencing

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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