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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent

Recorded crime in England and Wales at 20-year high as charge rate hits new low

Police officer writing on notepad
Office for National Statistics data showed that 6.3m crimes were recorded in the year to March 2022. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

Recorded crime in England and Wales has hit a 20-year high as the proportion of offences leading to court action fell to a new low, official figures show.

Just 5.6% of offences reported to police led to a suspect being charged or summonsed in 2021-22, down from 7.1% the previous year and from 16% in 2014-2015, Home Office figures reveal.

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