1998 1999 - Nationalarchives.gov.uk

Table B Notifiable offences recorded (1) and offences cleared up (2)
England and Wales Number of offences and percentages
Year Number
recorded
11
Cleared up
Number Percentage
Total Primary Secondary Total Primary Secondary
1994/95 4,929,209 1,297,272 1,015,870 281,402 26% 21% 6%
1995/96 4,921,597 1,291,466 1,020,248 271,218 26% 21% 6%
1996/97 4,760,144 1,292,316 1,052,281 240,035 27% 22% 5%
1997/98 4,428,758 1,251,707 1,054,033 197,674 28% 24% 4%
1998/99 5,109,104 1,492,265 1,347,772 144,493 29% 26% 3%
(1) Excluding criminal damage of £20 and under prior to 1998/99.
(2) See note 5 on page 24.
(i) In thirty-one forces over 85 per cent of clear-ups were by primary means. By
contrast there were two forces in which secondary clear-ups made up over onequarter
of all clear-ups (South Yorkshire and South Wales).
(j) Looking at the method of clear-up in more detail, the most common was a
charge or summons; a total of 755,800 offences – more than one half of all those
detected - were cleared up in this way. In seven forces one fifth or more of all
offences were cleared up using a charge or summons, although six forces cleared up
less than one in eight offences by this method.
(k) Five per cent of notifiable offences were cleared up by means of a caution,
although Dyfed-Powys cleared up 15 per cent this way.
(l) Three per cent of all offences were cleared up by secondary means, within
which the most common method was by interview of convicted prisoners. Although
nationally just two per cent of crimes were cleared up in this way, there was
considerable variation amongst forces. This is largely as a result of differing force
policies on using this method.