{"metric":"prosecutions_total","title":"Prosecutions","topic":"crime","unit":"defendants","measure_type":"count","geography":"K04000001","comparison_method":"year_on_year","latest":{"period_start":"2025-04-01","period_end":"2026-03-31","period_label":"Year ending March 2026","value":1360615,"status":"final","vintage":"2026-07-30"},"comparison":{"period_label":"Year ending March 2025","value":1344552,"vintage":"2026-07-30"},"source":{"publisher":"Ministry of Justice","publication":"Criminal justice statistics quarterly: overview tables","landing_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics","sheet":"Q3_2","table":"Table Q3.2","row":"Offence type=All offence types; Offence group=All offence types total","column":"2026","raw_value":"1360615","file_url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a689d0654d4ae70b6d5c298/overview-tables-March-2026.ods","file_sha256":"60c19d2d5ff2446d61a6196c6b6c8e3aa4dd211e6c455b13c5c68445892b591a","release_date":"2026-07-30","release_label":"Year ending March 2026"},"definition":"The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts in England and Wales in the twelve months ending March, on a principal-offence basis.","does_not_measure":"Out-of-court disposals, or the outcome of the proceedings; the Ministry of Justice advises against dividing convictions by prosecutions to make a conviction rate.","links":{"page":"/crime/prosecutions","series":"/api/metrics/prosecutions_total/series","vintages":"/api/metrics/prosecutions_total/vintages"}}