A REPORT has criticised the ‘piecemeal’ use of out-of-court disposals, with serious and repeat offenders being given cautions.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate have called for greater consistency and transparency in the use of cautions, fixed penalty notices, and restorative justice.

Crimes dealt with outside the criminal justice system have risen 135 per cent in five years.

The most common, such as warnings, account for a third of the 1.29million offences brought to justice.

A small sample showed a third were not issued appropriately. The report said ‘inconsistencies’ meant some offenders will receive differential treatment depending on where they live.

Lancashire Police Superintendent Irene Curtis, vice-president of the Police Superintendents’ Association, said: “There will be times, of course, when people make an error of judgement and don’t get the decision right.

But what is important is that officers have really clear principles and guidelines to follow and have been trained to the right level, so when they are on the street making those decisions, they make the right ones consistently.

“The recommendation in the report is for nationally co-ordinated guidance and we would fully support that.”