A total of 1.94 million defendants were prosecuted at magistrates' courts in 1991, 3 percent more than in 1990. A total of 101,000 defendants were tried at the Crown Court in 1991, 1,000 less than in 1990. Almost 60 percent of the cases in the Crown Court were sent there because magistrates declined jurisdiction. The number of offenders cautioned for indictable offenses rose by 8 percent (13,600) to 179,900 in 1991. This coupled with fewer defendants has increased the proportionate use of cautions to 35 percent for all offenders; this led to only a 1-percent increase in the number of offenders found guilty or cautioned. The number of police clear-ups between 1990 and 1991 rose by 7 percent. The proportion of proceedings for indictable offenses at magistrates' courts that were discontinued or withdrawn has risen from 10 percent in 1986 to 22 percent in 1991. The use of community service orders at all courts for indictable offenses increased from 8 percent to 9 percent, and probation remained at 10 percent. The use of the fine dropped from 50 percent to 45 percent for indictable offenses at magistrates' courts. The number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody in 1991 was 60,900, a 6- percent increase following the fall of 10 percent to 57,600 in 1990. 6 figures, 11 tables, and 5 references