This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/7862633.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Concern over force's caution rate | Concern over force's caution rate |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| An MP has voiced concern over new figures which show Dyfed-Powys Police's caution rate for serious offenders is the highest in England and Wales. | An MP has voiced concern over new figures which show Dyfed-Powys Police's caution rate for serious offenders is the highest in England and Wales. |
| The ministry of justice figures show 57% of those guilty of serious offences were cautioned rather than prosecuted. | The ministry of justice figures show 57% of those guilty of serious offences were cautioned rather than prosecuted. |
| The force said it complied with national standards. | The force said it complied with national standards. |
| It added it was able to intervene to deal with the pattern of offending among the young earlier than larger forces with higher crime rates. | It added it was able to intervene to deal with the pattern of offending among the young earlier than larger forces with higher crime rates. |
| The Ministry of Justice figures refer to 2007 and exclude motoring offences. | The Ministry of Justice figures refer to 2007 and exclude motoring offences. |
| They show 57% of serious offenders in the Dyfed-Powys force area were let off with a caution, the highest rate in England and Wales, and a clear 21% higher than the Welsh average. | They show 57% of serious offenders in the Dyfed-Powys force area were let off with a caution, the highest rate in England and Wales, and a clear 21% higher than the Welsh average. |
| Serious offences include violence, theft and drug crime as well as robbery, burglary, fraud and sexual offences. | Serious offences include violence, theft and drug crime as well as robbery, burglary, fraud and sexual offences. |
| CAUTION RATES Dyfed-Powys Police: 57% serious offenders given a cautionGwent Police: 42%South Wales Police: 29%North Wales Police: 22%Wales force average: 36%Source: Ministry of Justice figures for 2007 | CAUTION RATES Dyfed-Powys Police: 57% serious offenders given a cautionGwent Police: 42%South Wales Police: 29%North Wales Police: 22%Wales force average: 36%Source: Ministry of Justice figures for 2007 |
| Llanelli MP Nia Griffith said of the figures: "I am concerned because I don't know exactly what they represent, and that's why I want to seek further information and have an urgent meeting with the chief constable. | Llanelli MP Nia Griffith said of the figures: "I am concerned because I don't know exactly what they represent, and that's why I want to seek further information and have an urgent meeting with the chief constable. |
| "I'm sure there will be a feeling amongst victims and victims' families that they want to see justice and that they want to see that offenders are properly punished. | "I'm sure there will be a feeling amongst victims and victims' families that they want to see justice and that they want to see that offenders are properly punished. |
| "And so, yes, they will want answers, and that's what I'm trying to seek for them." | "And so, yes, they will want answers, and that's what I'm trying to seek for them." |
| 'Intervene' | 'Intervene' |
| Dyfed-Powys' caution rate of 57% seems all the more remarkable set against the other Welsh forces. | Dyfed-Powys' caution rate of 57% seems all the more remarkable set against the other Welsh forces. |
| In Gwent the figure is 42%. In south Wales, 29% of serious offenders escaped with a caution. | In Gwent the figure is 42%. In south Wales, 29% of serious offenders escaped with a caution. |
| In north Wales the figure is just 22% - the lowest rate in England and Wales. | In north Wales the figure is just 22% - the lowest rate in England and Wales. |
| An MP voices concern at why a Welsh police force cautions more than half of serious offenders, rather than prosecuting them. | |
| In a statement, Dyfed-Powys Police said: "The greatest proportion of crimes within the force area, such as lower level thefts, assaults, possession of cannabis and so on, are committed by young offenders and due to the lower incidence of crime within the region, the force is able to intervene in such persons' patterns of offending earlier than might be the case in larger, urbanised and more anonymous communities." | In a statement, Dyfed-Powys Police said: "The greatest proportion of crimes within the force area, such as lower level thefts, assaults, possession of cannabis and so on, are committed by young offenders and due to the lower incidence of crime within the region, the force is able to intervene in such persons' patterns of offending earlier than might be the case in larger, urbanised and more anonymous communities." |
| The force added that cases with the potential to be resolved by caution are scrutinised both internally and, in the most serious cases, by the Crown Prosecution Service. | The force added that cases with the potential to be resolved by caution are scrutinised both internally and, in the most serious cases, by the Crown Prosecution Service. |
| It said two recent reviews confirm their internal processes comply with national standards. | It said two recent reviews confirm their internal processes comply with national standards. |
| The very wide range of caution rates across Wales indicate that some offenders committing similar crimes may be being dealt with differently according to where they live. | The very wide range of caution rates across Wales indicate that some offenders committing similar crimes may be being dealt with differently according to where they live. |
| 'Postcode justice' | 'Postcode justice' |
| The director of the Universities' Police Science Unit at Cardiff University says there is increasing concern, not least within the police, about what is sometimes called 'postcode justice'. | The director of the Universities' Police Science Unit at Cardiff University says there is increasing concern, not least within the police, about what is sometimes called 'postcode justice'. |
| Prof Martin Innes said: "The problem is, of course, that the law is not being applied equally across the country. | Prof Martin Innes said: "The problem is, of course, that the law is not being applied equally across the country. |
| "And that's the fundamental issue that we've got to get to grips with on this: the law may be the law, but actually what these figures reveal is how the law is being applied differently in different parts of the country." | "And that's the fundamental issue that we've got to get to grips with on this: the law may be the law, but actually what these figures reveal is how the law is being applied differently in different parts of the country." |
| Prof Innes added that the situation highlighted by the figures requires urgent attention. | Prof Innes added that the situation highlighted by the figures requires urgent attention. |
| He said: "It actually seems quite an important political issue for someone to get to grips with and to start investigating to see what is precisely going on. | He said: "It actually seems quite an important political issue for someone to get to grips with and to start investigating to see what is precisely going on. |
| "What is driving these differences in terms of how people are being dealt with in different parts of the country?" | "What is driving these differences in terms of how people are being dealt with in different parts of the country?" |