Police have been given stricter rules on when they can use cautions in an attempt to increase the number of serious offenders being prosecuted.
A code of practice to be published on Wednesday will make it clearer when so-called out-of-court disposals can be used to avoid a prosecution.
There are concerns that police forces are using cautions to avoid prosecuting serious offences, and the new guidance will ensure that police use cautions only for minor, first-time offences.
The code of practice also halves the number of out-of-court disposals available to police. These will include community cautions, where a breach of the condition can result in a fine, and diversionary cautions, which require offenders to participate in rehabilitation courses, for example, and where a breach of
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