Remand Index (alleged) Offences

The remand population comprises individuals who are untried and those who are convicted awaiting sentence (CAS).[i] 

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.[ii]

Remand index (alleged) offence groups

[Supplementary Tables M2]

While the overall (average daily) remand population remained broadly stable between 2022-23 to 2023-24, there were some fluctuations among index (alleged) offence[iii] groups within it (see Figure 16).

Figure 16: While the average daily remand population remained high overall in 2023-24, the number with an alleged index offence in group 1 fell and the number with alleged index offences in groups 2 and 5 increased.

Remand offence groups – average daily populations, 2009-10 to 2023-24

Those accused of index Group 1 (Non-sexual crimes of violence) offences have consistently been the largest group in the (average daily) remand population. In 2023-24 the population of this group was 934 on an average day, a small reduction (-44, -5%) from 2022-23. The proportion of the remand population with alleged offences in this group fell in 2023-24, from 54% in 2022-23 to 52%.

The remand population accused of index Group 2 (Sexual) offences continued to increase. This group grew by 4% in 2023-24, from 237 in 2022-23 to 247, and comprised 14% of the overall (average daily) remand population.

Those accused of index Group 5 (Crimes against society) offences increased in 2022-23 by 13%, from 331 in 2022-23 to 375 in 2023-24. Group 5 remains the second largest category at 21% of the overall (average daily) remand population.

The populations across all other alleged offence groups fell by small amounts in 2023-24 and together made up 13% of the remand population.

Index (alleged) offence categories

[Supplementary Tables M2]

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

Group 1 – Non-sexual crimes of violence

Among the (average daily) population held on remand for alleged Group 1 (Non-sexual crimes of violence) offences in 2023-24, the largest index offence category was `Serious assault and attempted murder’. This index offence category made up 20% of the (average daily) population on remand overall, and 38% of those accused of index offences in Group 1. The (average daily) remand population accused of this index offence was 356 in 2023-24 (having decreased by 21 from 378 in 2022-23).

The population accused of ‘Common assault’ reduced by 11% in 2023-24 to 309,  from 346 in 2022-23. Those accused of ‘Common assault’ comprised 17% of the (average daily) remand population in 2023-24. This is a reduction from 19% in 2022-23 .

The remand population accused of an index offence of ‘Robbery’ increased slightly between 2022-23 and 2023-24, from 104 to 106. The (average daily) remand population accused of ‘Murder and culpable homicide’ increased by 7 over the same period to 63.

The remand population accused of index ‘Domestic Abuse offences’ continued its longer term increase, rising from 58 to 66 (+14%) between 2022-23 and 2023-24.

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 147 in 2022-23 to 151 in 2023-24, 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 2023-24, remaining at a similar level to the previous reporting year (+1 to 40 in 2023-24).

Small increases were also observed between 2022-23 and 2023-24 in the (average daily) remand populations accused of ‘Indecent photos of children’ (+2 to 14), ‘Crimes associated with prostitution’ (+2 to 4), and ‘Other sexual crimes’ (+1 to 13).

Group 5 – Crimes against society

The 13% increase in the (average daily) remand population accused of Group 5 offences in 2023-24 was driven by a 19% increase in the largest category - ‘Drugs (supply)’ offences (+23 to 146). There was also a 20% increase in the population accused of ‘Weapons possession’ (+14 to 83).

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[v].

All of these groups saw small reductions in their (average daily) population (-20 across all groups from 2022-23). Together they comprised 13% of the remand population, or 228 population on the  average day.