Sentenced Index Offences

[Supplementary Tables M2]

This section provides detailed breakdowns of Index Offence Groups into index offence categories for the average daily sentenced population[i]. The 50 index offence categories (and eight over-arching offence groups) provide more high-level detail on the offence profile of the prison population. This method of classification allows presentation of a summary offence profile, but does not indicate where multiple offences are present, nor does it provide charge level data.

Group 1 – Non-sexual crimes of violence

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 1 index offences increased 4% from 2,617 in 2022-23 to 2,722 in 2023-24. This group comprised 45% of the sentenced population.

The largest offence category in Group 1 remains ‘Serious assault and attempted murder’. The sentenced (average daily) population with this index offence was 1,107 in 2023-24, an increase of 60 from 2022-23 (+6% from 1,047).

‘Common Assault’ increased by 45 from the previous year to 575 on the average day in 2023-24 (compared to 530 in 2022-23), and became the second largest category in Group 1 (overtaking ‘Murder and culpable homicide’). This category remains lower than pre-pandemic levels (610 in 2019-20).

The population with an index offence of ‘Murder and culpable homicide’ fell slightly. On the average day in 2023-24 it was 564, compared to 571 and 573 in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

There was a 9% reduction in the sentenced population with the index offence of ‘Robbery’, from 318 in 2022-23 to 288 in 2023-24. This continues a longer term downward trend in the size of this group from 2019-20.

The largest growth in this group was a 64% increase in the sentenced population with an index ‘Domestic Abuse Act’ offence, although the numbers remain relatively small (from 58 in 2022-23 to 94 in 2023-24). Offences in this category are those covered by the 2018 Act[ii] and therefore do not cover the totality of domestic abuse related offences in the prison population.

Group 2 – Sexual offences

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 2 index offences increased 12% from 1,246 in 2022-23 to 1,392 in 2023-24. This group comprised 23% of the sentenced population.

In line with the previously observed rising trend[iii], the sentenced population with an index offence of ‘Rape and attempted rape’ increased between 2022-23 and 2023-24. This population rose by 15% from around 853 in 2022-23 to 981 on an average day in 2023-24, and remains the largest population category in Group 2.

The second largest category in 2023-24 were those serving sentences for an index offence of ‘Sexual assault’, which increased 3% from 243 in 2022-23 to 251.

The third largest category in group 2, were those serving sentences for index offences of ‘Indecent photos of children’, which decreased slightly from 71 in 2022-23 to 67 in 2023-24.

Increases were observed in all other categories of sexual offence, which together accounted for 93 people on the average day in 2023-24 (+13 from 2022-23).

Group 3 – Crimes of dishonesty

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 3 index offences increased 17% from 294 in 2022-23 to 344 in 2023-24. This group comprised 6% of the sentenced population.

The largest category ‘Housebreaking’ saw a slight increase from 135 in 2022-23 to around 138 in 2023-24 (+2%). Greater proportionate increases were seen across other categories although the absolute numbers are small. The population serving sentences for an index offence of ‘Shoplifting’ – the second largest category in this group – increased from 46 to 69 (+49%). The third largest category, ‘Other theft’ increased by 5 to 37 in 2023-24 (+16%).

The absolute numbers in other categories accounted for 101 people on the average day in 2023-24 (+20 from 2022-23).

Group 4 – Damage and reckless behaviour

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 4 index offences increased 14% from 75 in 2022-23 to 86 in 2023-24. This group comprised just 1.4% of the sentenced population in 2023-24.

There were small increases in the population with an index offence of ‘Fire-raising’ (+11 to 47) and ‘Vandalism’ (+2 to 19) in 2023-24, while the population with an index offence of ‘Reckless conduct’ fell slightly (-2 to 20).

Group 5 – Crimes against society

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 5 index offences increased 13% from 723 in 2022-23 to 817 in 2023-24. This group comprised 14% of the sentenced population.

The largest index offence category in group 5 in 2023-24 was ‘Drugs – Supply’. This population group rose by 8% from 357 in 2022-23 to 384 in 2023-24.

The largest proportionate increases were in ‘Other crimes againsts society’ (+34% from 42 to 57) and in the ‘Crimes against public justice’ offence category, which increased 22% from 155 to 189 on the average day in 2023-24. The latter has overtaken ‘Weapons possession’ as the second largest category in this group, ‘Weapons possession’ having increased but to a lesser extent  over the same period from 160 to 179 (+12%) on the average day in 2023-24.

Group 6 – Antisocial offences

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 6 index offences increased 7% from 186 in 2022-23 to 199 in 2023-24. This group comprised just 3.3% of the sentenced population in this reporting year.

Around 95% of this population group had an index offence of ‘Threatening and abusive behaviour’ (190, +12 in 2023-24). The remainder of this population group had index offences of ‘Community and public order offences’ (6, +1 in 2023-24) and ‘Racially aggravated conduct’ (3, -0.3 in 2023-24).

Group 7 – Miscellaneous offences

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 7 index offences increased 13% from 116 in 2022-23 to 131 in 2023-24. This group comprised just 2.2% of the sentenced population.

In 2023-24, around 54% of the population with Group 7 index offences had index ‘Licensing offences’ (71), while a further 57 had index ‘Other miscellaneous offences’. On the average day in 2023-24 there were 3 with index ‘Wildlife offences’.

Group 8 – Road traffic offences

The (average daily) sentenced population with Group 8 index offences increased 11% from 79 in 2022-23 to 87 in 2023-24. This group comprised 1.4% of the sentenced population.

As in previous reporting years, those with an index offence of ‘Dangerous and careless driving’ made up on average around 57% (50, +4 in 2023-24) of this population group . Those with an index offence of ‘Unlawful use of vehicle’ was unchanged from 2022-23 at 23, and those with an index offence of ‘Driving under the influence’ rose +4 to 14 in 2023-24.