In 1992 in England and Wales the police recorded approximately 5.6 million notifiable offenses, 6 percent more than in 1991. This compares with an average annual increase of 6 percent between 1982 and 1992. There was a 6 percent-increase for offenses of violence against the person, and the number of sexual offenses remained unchanged. A total of 541,000 offenders were found guilty or cautioned for indictable offenses in 1992, 5 percent more than in 1991. Over 40 percent of offenders found guilty, on admitting their guilt for indictable offenses, were cautioned. Cautioning is used by the police as an alternative to court proceedings, mainly for juveniles and females. The courts' proportionate use of immediate custody for those sentenced for indictable offenses, including triable-either-way offenses, was 15 percent (similar to both 1990 and 1991), having previously fallen from 18 percent in each of the years from 1985 to 1987. The number of persons sentenced to immediate custody for all types of offenses fell from 61,200 in 1991 to 58,000 in 1992. The average length of sentence of immediate imprisonment for males aged 21 and over for indictable offenses at the Crown Court increased by about a month in 1992 to just over 21 months. This was the result of an increase in October 1992 in the average length of sentence of 3 months, following the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act in 1991. Between 1989 and 1992, the number of community sentences rose by 11 percent, with the increase being mainly among community service orders. The proportionate use of the fine decreased sharply from 38-40 percent from 1985 to 1990, to 34 percent in 1992. Extensive tables and figures