Police: Rise in cautions, drop in arrests

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

New figures show a huge rise in the number of cautions for crime and cannabis warnings. However, the number of people charged is falling.

The findings come weeks after Bob Quick, the chief constable of Surrey, admitted officers were targeting minor offenders rather than hardened criminals in order to hit targets.

The latest figures, obtained by the Liberal Democrats, show the Met's detection rate - crimes solved - rose from 14.6 per cent in the year 2004/05 to 21.1 per cent in 2006/07.

However, over the same period the number of people being charged with offences fell from 98,155 - or 65.8 per cent of the total number of crimes solved - to 91.771, or 47.1 per cent of the total. The number cautioned rose from 27,975, or 18.8 per cent of the total detections, to 42,762, or 22 per cent of the total. Police handed out 13,160 cannabis warnings in 2004/05 - 8.8 per cent of all crimes solved. But by 2006/07 the figure had risen to 30,453, or 15.6 per cent of detected crime.

One senior Met officer said: "By using cannabis warnings and fixed penalty notices we are essentially creating crime to solve crime."

But the Met insisted it is "solving more crimes than ever before".