5. Remand Index (alleged) Offences

The remand population comprises individuals who are untried and those who are CAS.[1] As discussed in section 1.2 of this report, the remand population grew to historically high levels in 2020.  While the (average daily) remand population fell in 2022-23, it remained at a high level (1,804).

This section provides the breakdown of the (average daily) remand population by index (alleged) offence group, followed by a further breakdown by index (alleged) offence categories.  Detail of the method for deriving index (alleged) offence is provided in the technical manual.[2]

5.1 Remand index (alleged) offence groups

[Supplementary tables M2]

While the overall (average daily) remand population fell by 3% between 2021-22 to 2022-23, this decrease is not observed equally across all of the index (alleged) offence[3] groups within the remand population (see Figure 15).

Figure 15: Remand offence groups – average daily populations, 2009-10 to 2022-23

Those accused of index Group 1 (Non-Sexual Crime of Violence) offences have consistently been the largest group in the (average daily) remand population.  In 2022-23 the population of this group was 879 on an average day, a small absolute reduction (-13) from 2021-22.  This reduction is small relative to the overall reduction in the average daily population, so the proportion of the remand population with alleged offences in this group increased slightly in 2022-23 from 48% in 2021-22 to 49%.

The (average daily) remand population accused of index Group 2 (Sexual) offences continued its long-term increase, albeit at a lower rate in 2022-23 than previous reporting years.  This group rose by 5% in 2022-23, from 217 in 2021-22 to 228 and comprised 13% of the overall (average daily) remand population.  The (average daily) populations of those accused of index offences in Groups 6 (Anti-social) and 7 (Miscellaneous offences) rose by similar proportions over the same period: +5% for Group 6 from 95 to 100 and +3% for Group 7 from 23 to 24.

The (average daily) remand populations accused of index offences in Group 3 (Dishonesty), and Group 4 (Damage and reckless behaviour) fell slightly between 2021-22 and 2022-23 (-7% from 138 to 128 and -9 from 48 to 39 respectively). 

Those accused of index Group 5 (Crimes against society) offences,also fell by 9%, from 424 in 2021-22 to 386 in 2022-23.  Group 5 remains the second largest category at 21% of the overall (average daily) remand population.

5.2 Index (alleged) offence categories

[Supplementary tables M2]

This section provides a breakdown of the (average daily) remand population into categories of index (alleged) offence[4].

5.2.1 Group 1 – Non-sexual crimes of violence

Among the (average daily) population held on remand for alleged Group 1 (Violent) offences in 2022-23, the largest index offence category was `Serious assault and attempted murder’.  This index offence category made up 21% of the (average daily) population on remand overall, and 42% of those accused of index offences in Group 1.  The (average daily) remand population accused of this index offence was 371 in 2022-23 (-2 from 373 in 2021-22).

Those accused of ‘Common assault’ (256) comprised 14% of the (average daily) remand population in 2022-23.  This is the same absolute figure as reported in 2021-22. 

The (average daily) remand population accused of an index offence of ‘Robbery’ fell 10% between 2021-22 and 2022-23, from 115 to 104.  The (average daily) remand population accused of ‘Murder and culpable homicide’ fell by 1 over the same period to  57.

The (average daily) remand population accused of index ‘Domestic Abuse offences’, increased from 55 to 58 between 2021-22 and 2022-23.

5.2.2 Group 2 – Sexual offences

Among the (average daily) remand population accused of index Group 2 (Sexual) offences, the largest group are those accused of  ‘Rape & attempted rape’.  This group increased from 135 in 2021-22 to 139 in 2022-23, comprising 61% of the (average daily) remand population accused of Group 2 index offences and 8% of the (average daily) remand population overall. 

Those accused of ‘Sexual assault’ were the second largest population group amongst those accused of Group 2 index offences in 2022-23, remaining at a similar level to the previous reporting year (+1 from 35 in 2021-22 to 36 in 2022-23).

Small increases were observed between 2021-22 and 2022-23 in the (average daily) remand populations accused of ‘Communicating indecently’ (+3 to 14), ‘Indecent photos of children’ (+3 to 12), ‘Crimes associated with prostitution’ (+3 to 3) and ‘Other sexual crimes’ (+2 to 13).

5.2.3 Group 5 – Crimes against society

The overall 9% decrease in the (average daily) remand population accused of Group 5 offences in 2022-23 was driven by a 16% fall in the number accused of index ‘Weapons possession’ offences (from 187 to 158) and a 10% fall in the number of those accused of index ‘Drugs (supply)’ offences (137 to 124).  The number of those accused of an index ‘Crimes against public justice’ offence remained stable (+1) at 98 on an average day in 2022-23.

5.2.4 Other offence categories

Further information on the offence categories in Groups 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8  is contained in the supplementary table (M2) and the Interactive Analysis Tool[5].