Civometry

Ministry of Justice · 13 December 2019 – 5 July 2024

Immediate custodial sentences during the Conservative 2019–2024 government

Year ending March 2019 → Year ending March 2024 · 5 periods

↓ 9.5%−7,798 offenders

Immediate custodial sentences fell by 9.5% over the period, from 81,768 offenders (Year ending March 2019, the level when the government took office) to 73,970 (Year ending March 2024, the last complete period before it left office).

  1. Inherited level Year ending March 2019: 81,768
  2. Level when it left Year ending March 2024: 73,970
  3. method: latest complete period before start / before end

Changes during this period do not by themselves show what the government caused. Statistics reflect many influences, including earlier decisions, the economy and how the data is collected.

Immediate custodial sentences: Year ending March 2016 to Year ending March 2026ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour025k50k75k201620182020202220242026Before: Figures as originally processed. After: Figures reprocessed ahead of the 2023 Q2 edition.methodology changeYear ending March 2016: 90,500 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2017: 90,181 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2018: 89,220 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2019: 81,768 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2020: 75,124 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2021: 58,855 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2022: 65,104 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2023: 66,163 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2024: 73,970 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2025: 82,749 offenders · published 30 July 2026Year ending March 2026: 89,164 offenders · published 30 July 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestDashed line: change in coverage or methodShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Definition and caveats

The number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody at criminal courts in England and Wales in the twelve months ending March, including detention in a young offender institution and detention and training orders.

Doesn’t measure: Suspended sentences, community sentences or fines, or the length of the sentences imposed.