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<p>The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) indicate the number of
offences charged, in which a prosecution commenced at magistrates’ court under Section
32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (racially or religiously aggravated harassment),
rather than identifying the number of defendants prosecuted. It is often the case
that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same
victim.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows, in each of the last seven years, the
number of offences, charged by way of Section 32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
(racially or religiously aggravated harassment), and which reached a first hearing
at magistrates’ courts, in England and Wales.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td>
</td><td><p><strong>Crime and Disorder Act 1998 { 32 }</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2007-2008</strong></p></td><td><p>556</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2008-2009</strong></p></td><td><p>527</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2009-2010</strong></p></td><td><p>494</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p>536</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p>379</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p>317</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p>335</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>Data Source: CPS Management Information System</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There
is no indication of the number of individual defendants prosecuted for these offences
or the final outcome of the prosecution proceeding or if the charged offence was the
substantive charge at the time of finalisation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The
last five years have seen a year on year reduction in the overall number of cases
referred to the CPS from the police, however the CPS do not hold data related to the
number of police referrals of cases in which charges of racially or religiously aggravated
harassment would be appropriate.</p><p> </p>
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