West Midlands Police report highlights improved prosecution rates over two years
Positive outcomes in criminal cases have more than doubled.
West Midlands Police has reported significant improvements in its handling of criminal cases over the past year.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, revealed in his annual report that the positive outcome rate increased from 7.9 per cent in 2024 to 15.7 per cent for the year ending March 2026.
Statistics also show an increase in cases assessed for evidence-led prosecutions and improvements in the timeliness of court case progressions.
The number of investigations halted due to victims withdrawing support decreased, however, cases stopped because of insufficient evidence despite victims backing action increased.
The report highlights success in bringing offenders to justice, with police evidence-led prosecutions increasing from 960 in 2024 to 1,266 this year. It also notes improved compliance with the Crown Prosecution Service's file quality standards, rising from 59.5 per cent to 72.5 per cent.
Despite these gains, crime data integrity audit results in certain categories fell short of previous baselines, though internal audits demonstrate improving compliance, particularly in domestic abuse, stalking, and harassment offences.