Thousands of violent offenders avoid court with an apology

The number of violent offences where a ‘community resolution’ is used instead of a caution or criminal action in Yorkshire and the Humber has increased from 128 in 2009 to 3,421 in 2012, according to statistics published by Labour.

Community resolution, including restorative justice, where the offender is brought face to face with their victim, is supposed to be used as an alternative to prosecution for low-level offences.

But Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who is also MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, said cuts to police funding meant increasing numbers of serious offences were dealt with in this way.

She said: “The idea that perpetrators of domestic violence are being let off for things like saying sorry to the victim is very disturbing and risks perpetuating the abuse.”

The Association of Chief Police Officers advises that community resolutions should be used for “less serious” offences which may include “minor assaults without injury”.

According to responses to Freedom of Information Act requests, a community resolution was applied in 10,160 incidents of “serious violence” across England and Wales last year, about 12 times the figure for five years ago.

A total of 1,934 violent crimes were dealt with by community resolution in West Yorkshire last year, up from just nine in 2009. There were also big increases in South Yorkshire and North Yorkshire, though the number of community resolutions used by Humberside Police for violent offences was largely unchanged.

A Home Office spokesman said it was up to chief constables to ensure community resolutions were used appropriately.