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Work with persistent offenders is a priority
Although over half of people who are convicted of a crime do not, as far as we know, commit another crime, many do.
Levels of convictions suggest that people are more likely to offend again the more crimes they have committed before.
A large proportion of offences occur either in groups or by groups of people acting together. |
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The police make over 1.3 million arrests a year and most people plead guilty.
Of all people convicted of crime in Britain:
- 11% receive a community sentence
- 9% receive a discharge
- 71% receive a fine
- 8% are sentenced to custody
Why do people continue to commit crimes?
Research shows that the main causes are:
- weak problem solving skills
- poor decision making skills
- weak personal control
- poor social skills
Isn't prison the best place for persistent offenders?
Not necessarily.
When comparing like for like, there is no difference in the percentage of those receiving a prison sentence and a community sentence who get convicted again.
Please note - people convicted of serious crime such as murder, rape and robbery are nearly always sent to prison.
What about the cost?
On average a community sentence, such as probation supervision, costs about £2,500 a year per order. The orders which require more intensive in-put can cost more.
It costs about £35,000 a year to keep someone in prison. |
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