Cautious on Cautions?

According to research by the Magistrates Association, some 7,000 criminals have been cautioned on 10 separate occasions or more. Because of these relatively soft out of court penalties, there is concern that serial criminals are avoiding court. In 2009, figures show that more than half a million serial criminals have been "let off" with repeat cautions. The stats for the period 2000 to 2008 show 554,247 were given at least two cautions, including 51,874 who were cautioned on four separate occasions and 104,915 three times. One in seven of all cautions were for violence in 2010, ergo 40,000 violent offenders avoided court. Contrast this with the Lord Chief Justice saying that violent criminals should always be taken to court. Society might want the police to err on the side of caution and to discriminate more in the aplication of cautions. In saying all this, HSandCo have had excellent results in recent times in achieving cautions for our clients on serious matters.