The number of prosecutions in magistrates increased slightly from the previous year, while the number of prosecutions in Crown Court declined by 3 percent from 1995 in parallel with the number of Crown Court sitting days. The number of offenders cautioned declined by 2 percent from 1995. A total of 84,900 offenders were placed in immediate custody. The average sentence length for males age 21 and over sentenced at Crown Court increased for nearly all indictable offense groups to an average of 23.5 months. Sixty-eight percent of those pleading not guilty and convicted at Crown Court were given custodial sentences, compared to 59 percent for those pleading guilty. Sentence lengths were longer for those pleading not guilty and then convicted than for those who pleaded guilty. The number of appeals and the proportion of successful appeals to the Crown Court has declined since the implementation of the 1995 Criminal Appeals Act. Figures, tables, and notes