THE use of cautions in East Lancashire is decreasing year-on-year after the police looked into how they were being issued.

Concerns over more serious crimes being dealt with by out-of-court disposals, and the potential for ‘justice by postcode’, led to an internal audit by Lancashire Constabulary.

According to Inspector John Clucas, force lead on out-of-court disposals, ‘better decisions’ are now being made by officers, with a higher proportion of criminals sent to court.

Figures released by Lancashire Constabulary under the Freedom of Inform-ation Act show the number of crimin- als dealt with by police adult cautions, reprimands or final warnings has reduced for the fourth year in a row and the amount of conditional cautions – where offenders are given a financial or community penalty – is also down on last year's figures.

There were 1,654 cautions or similar handed out in Eastern division from April 1, 2008, to March 31, 2009 – the most recent full year data available.

In 2005/06, there were 2,563 issued, 2006/07 – 2,349 and 2007/08 – 2,062.

Over the same period, 1,326 cautions were recorded in Pennine division. In 2005/06, there were 1,940, 2006/07 – 1,707, 2007/08 – 1,628.

In Eastern division, conditional cautions fell from 249 in 2007/08 to 187 in 2008/09, and in Pennine division they fell from 218 in 2007/08 to 155 in 2008/09.

l In Eastern/Pennine, 523/422 violent offences, including assaults and robb-ery were dealt with via cautions, reprimands and final warnings.

l 19/32 sexual offences, such as bigamy, exposure, prostitution and breaching the sex offenders register, were dealt with out-of-court.

l 44/39 weapon related offences were dealt with in the same way.

l The 33/10 fraud offences dealt with by cautions included copyright, insur-ance and accounting crimes, and making false statements.

Insp Clucas said: “We will now let the courts decide on more borderline cases.

“Lancashire has cautioned people for some serious offences, but we have to justify those decisions with all parties involved.”