New government statistics have shown that the total number of criminals being charged a year has fallen to just 346,000 – down from almost 650,000 in 2010 (a fall of 47%), and over 400,000 before the pandemic.

The proportion of offences being charged within a year has fallen to a record low of 5.6%, whilst the proportion receiving cautions and community penalties is also down by nearly two-thirds from 2015.

Over the past year, two million investigations were dropped with no suspect identified, including over 300,000 violent crimes and over a million thefts. Meanwhile, neighbourhood policing has been cut by 30% since 2015, with over 7,000 fewer officers and over 3,000 fewer PCSOs.

The charge rate for rape still stands at a shocking 1.3%.

Despite government promises to act on rape, there has been no progress in increasing the charge rate since it fell to this record low last year.

The Government has failed to increase the charge rate for a single crime type – for every category of crime, the charge rate has either fallen or stayed the same.

On a visit to Liverpool earlier this week, Labour Leader Keir Starmer outlined that victims of sexual or domestic violence are routinely waiting a year or more for their case to come to court and proposed that such cases should be fast-tracked.

Toby said “These figures are appalling. It’s important to remember that, behind every statistic, is a victim of crime. Since 2010, the Tories have slashed our police force and now hundreds of thousands more criminals are getting away with crimes with more victims being let down under the Conservatives”.

He added “Labour would bring back neighbourhood policing and stand up for law and order so people can feel safe on our streets, and fast-track convictions for rape to ensure that long waits for justice become a thing of the past”.

Toby Perkins MP
Toby Perkins MP
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