NCJ Number
240156
Date Published
September 2012
Length
51 pages
Annotation
This report presents statistics for England and Wales on terrorism arrests and outcomes, as well as stops and searches under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Abstract
There were 206 arrests in 2011/12 that were determined to involve individuals charged with committing terrorist acts. This was an increase from the 126 terrorism-related arrests in 2010/11. Approximately one-third of this increase in 2011/12 is attributed to the policing of a demonstration in the October to December Quarter. Since September 11, 2001, there have been 2,174 terrorism arrests. Forty-eight percent of those arrested for suspected terrorism offenses were released without charge, and the remaining 17 percent had alternative action taken against them. Since September 11, 2001, 36 percent of those arrested for terrorism-related offenses were charged; 54 percent were released, and 10 percent had alternative action taken. The main offenses for which persons were charged under terrorism legislation since 2001 were possession of an article for terrorist purposes, preparation for terrorist acts, and fundraising for terrorist causes. For terrorism-related offenses under non-terrorism legislation, the most common offenses for which persons were charged were conspiracy to commit murder and offenses under the Explosive Substances Act 1883. At the time of this report's publication, 41 percent of those charged with terrorism-related offenses in 2011/12 had been convicted of an offense, with 17 defendants (44 percent) awaiting trial. This compares with 61 percent convicted for terrorism-related offenses since September 11, 2001 (283 persons). The Terrorism Act 2000 also gives powers to individual police officers to stop and search a suspect whom officers reasonably suspect is involved in terrorism activity. In 2011/12, 819 persons were stopped and searched. This is a 29-percent decline from the 2010/11 total of 1,154. The arrest rate for the searches was 3.5 percent in 2011/12, up slightly from the previous year. 34 tables and 4 figures