Drug and Alcohol Prosecutions 2024 Trends in England and Wales

The latest Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly for June 2024 provides a detailed look at the current landscape of drug and alcohol prosecutions in England and Wales. With rising indictable offences and shifting sentencing patterns, the report offers valuable insights into how authorities are managing the challenges of substance-related crime and the wider impacts on communities.

Rising Offences: The Story in Numbers

Prosecutions for indictable offences—including many drug-related offences—rose by 18% in the most recent year. Convictions also climbed, recording a 15% increase. This uptick signals intensified efforts in tackling serious cases related to controlled substances, as well as alcohol-fuelled crime.

More than 5,700 Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) were issued in the year to June 2024.
41% of these were for being drunk and disorderly.
35% were for cannabis possession.

Despite this sharp rise in indictable offences, some forms of out-of-court resolutions are declining. Cannabis/khat warnings have dropped by 93%, PNDs by 73%, and cautions by 33% since June 2019, indicating a shift away from certain low-level interventions.

Sentencing Trends for Drug and Alcohol Prosecutions 2024

The data uncovers interesting shifts in sentencing, particularly for drug and alcohol prosecutions 2024:

The average custodial sentence length (ACSL) for indictable offences fell slightly to 22.5 months.
ACSL for drug offences actually increased by 2.5 months, demonstrating the higher risk and severity placed on these cases.
Immediate custody sentences for drug offences have also risen, keeping the focus on deterring repeat or serious offending.

Notably, the custody rate for indictable offences remains steady, with rising custodial outcomes for both violent and drug offences.

When looking at drug-related offences statistics 2024, cautions remain a key tool. Drug offences consistently have the highest cautioning rate among all offence types, even as overall out-of-court options fall by 1%.

Meanwhile, the use of community resolutions is up by 3%. This increase suggests authorities are searching for more balanced approaches in some cases, focusing on alternatives to prosecution where it makes sense.

Offence Categories and Penalties

Of the Penalty Notices for Disorder issued:

35% were for cannabis possession, showing the continued priority placed on addressing lower-level drug issues without resorting to lengthy court processes.
Drunk and disorderly conduct accounted for 41%, reflecting ongoing efforts to manage alcohol-related disturbances.

This steady stream of enforcement actions highlights persistent challenges in reducing demand for drugs and lowering harm from alcohol.

Custodial Outcomes and System Pressures

With rising prosecution and conviction numbers, courts are under increasing pressure. The uptick in immediate custodial sentences for drug and alcohol offences underlines the seriousness with which these crimes are treated. Alongside deterrence, there’s an ongoing call for meaningful interventions and support to reduce reoffending and promote recovery.

Prevention and Response

The latest figures on drug and alcohol prosecutions 2024 stress the importance of a multi-faceted approach. While enforcement remains robust, there’s a clear need for resources, education and early intervention to tackle dependency and minimise harm. Data trends reinforce the ongoing challenge faced by authorities and service provider.

Source: dbrecoveryresources