NCJ Number
153484
Date Published
1994
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This document presents and analyzes statistics on the racial and ethnic composition of the general population, offenders, victims, and criminal justice personnel in England and Wales.
Abstract
The 1991 census revealed that minorities make up 5.5 percent of the total resident population of Great Britain. The largest minority group is of Indian origin, followed by Pakistanis and black Caribbeans. The black African, Chinese, and Bangladeshi groups are considerably smaller than the three largest groups. Members of ethnic minorities are more likely to live in metropolitan areas than in other areas. About half of all members of ethnic minorities were born in the United Kingdom. Minorities face significantly higher risks than whites of certain types of household and personal crime. Asians are less likely than whites to be stopped by the police, whereas black youths are especially likely to be stopped by the police and to be arrested. Once arrested, black people are less likely to be cautioned and more likely to be detained than whites. Black defendants are also more likely to plead not guilty, to be tried at the Crown Court, and to be acquitted. However, black defendants found guilty are more likely than whites to receive more and longer custodial sentences and a different range of noncustodial disposals. Minority group members make up 1.5 percent of the police officers, 5.3 percent of probation officers and other probation staff, 6.4 percent of the staff in the Crown Prosecution Service, 4.1 percent of court staff, and 2.3 percent of attorneys. Ten percent of Home Office administrative staff are ethnic minorities. Figures, tables, and appended tables