In 1993, 1,960,000 defendants were prosecuted at magistrates' courts in England and Wales, a decrease of 4 percent from 1992. The number of offenders tried in the Crown Court fell from 98,000 to 82,000 in 1993. There was a 3 percent decrease in the number of offenders cautioned for all offenses, excluding auto-related offenses. In terms of sentencing, magistrates' courts imposed fines in 38 percent of indictable cases and community sentences in 24 percent of such cases. The Crown Court imposed community sentences in 34 percent of indictable cases it tried, and fully suspended sentences in 3 percent of cases. Following the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, the proportionate use of immediate custody for convicted offenders increased to nearly 17 percent by the end of 1993. 6 figures, 11 tables, 14 notes, and 4 references