Out of Court Resolutions
What are Out of Court Resolutions?
Out of Court Resolutions (previously called Out of Court Disposals), are a fair and proportionate way for the police to deal with certain offences without going to court. They are mainly (but not exclusively) used for lower-level offences and where offenders have limited previous offending histories.
When used appropriately, Out of Court Resolutions (OOCR) can:
- Deliver swift and meaningful justice for victims
- Improve victim satisfaction
- Repair any harm caused to victims and/or communities
- Address the causes of offending whilst holding offenders to account
- Help reduce re-offending
Most OOCRs cannot be given unless the offender fully admits the offence, or in some cases accepts responsibility. There are also other eligibility requirements which must be met before they can be used.
We currently operate a hybrid five-tier framework for Adult OOCR, for those offenders aged 18 years and over. In line with the National Police Chiefs Council OOCR Strategy, we, along with other police forces in England and Wales, are working towards implementing a new national two tier+ adult OOCR framework which will be introduced in accordance with the timetable and guidance set by the Ministry of Justice. This means that we are now using more Community Resolutions and Conditional Cautions rather than some of the other options.
More information on the new national framework can be found on the gov.uk website.
In the meantime, our Adult OOCR Framework includes:
- Conditional Caution
- Community Resolution
- Simple Caution (used for only a limited number of offences)
- Penalty Notice for Disorder (no longer routinely used)
- Cannabis/Khat Warning (no longer routinely used)
An explanation of these outcomes, which includes the consequences on an offender’s criminal record, can be found on the College of Policing’s APP Website.
For offenders who are under the age of 18 years, we operate a three-tier framework for Child OOCRs which includes:
- Youth Caution
- Youth Conditional Caution
- Community Resolution
Details of these outcomes, including their impact on criminal records, are available on the College of Policing’s APP website.
What are the most common Out of Court Resolutions used by South Yorkshire Police?
Community Resolutions
The most common OOCR we use are Community Resolutions. In 2025 there were around 4700 Community Resolutions issued to offenders which accounts for around 3.3% cent of all outcomes in that year.
Community Resolutions can be used for adults or children and are an informal outcome. They are a method of dealing with an offender for a lower-level crime in a way which is proportionate.
Community Resolutions can be offered when the offender accepts responsibility for their offending behaviour and, in most cases, where the victim has agreed that they do not want more formal action taken. Other criteria must also be met.
The most appropriate offences to warrant a Community Resolution are likely to be offences such as possession of Class B or C drugs, low-value theft or criminal damage, minor or non-injury assaults and public order offences. This list is not exhaustive.
Community Resolutions must have conditions attached, which should be proportionate to both the offence and the circumstances. These conditions are voluntary and are not therefore enforceable by the police. This means that where an offender does not comply with the conditions of a Community Resolution, we are unable to take any further action against them.
Community Resolution conditions can include the offender:
- Being referred to local support agencies to address a specific identified need (such as substance misuse)
- Being given advice about their behaviour
- Apologising or writing a letter of apology to the victim
- Making some form of reparation such as repairing or paying for any damage or harm done
- Taking part in some other rehabilitative or diversionary activity
Community Resolutions can also include Restorative Justice, which involves direct or indirect communication between the victim and offender of the same incident which could include an informal or formal face to face meeting or an indirect exchange of verbal messages or written statements, questions or letters. Restorative Justice is shown to increase victim satisfaction and reduce reoffending.
Adult Cautions
The next most common OOCR we use are Adult Cautions. In 2025 there were around 1100 Adult Cautions issued to offenders, which accounts for around 0.75% of all outcomes in that year.
There are two types of adult caution, an Adult Simple Caution and an Adult Conditional Caution.
Adult Simple Cautions are a formal warning which can be given to an adult who has fully admitted an offence. There are no conditions attached, and they can only be given where strict criteria are met. We now only use these for some specific offences.
Adult Conditional Cautions are a formal OOCR given to an adult who has fully admitted an offence. They must have suitable conditions attached which the offender must complete. Where, without reasonable excuse, the offender fails to comply with the conditions, a formal prosecution for the original offence may follow (but not always). They can only be given where strict criteria are met.
Adult Conditional Caution conditions in South Yorkshire can include:
- Referral to a Substance Misuse Service for initial screening and further attendance on a one and half hour Substance Misuse Intervention session to understand; the risks and consequences of substance misuse, discuss harm reduction and identify support opportunities
- Referral to a Gambling Addiction Service for initial assessment and follow-up sessions as part of a plan of care around gambling or gambling addiction
- Referral to a Female Offender Service to undergo a trauma informed holistic intervention to address an offender’s identified needs*
- Referral to a Veterans Charity to take part in an holistic intervention to address an offender’s needs
- Referral on to a specific Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention programme designed to increase a perpetrator’s awareness of the impacts of harmful behaviours within relationships and their motivations to change
- Attendance on an offence specific Restorative Awareness Intervention to understand the impact that offending behaviours have on victims and others
- Attendance on a responsible dog ownership course
- A health-related referral condition
- Undergoing a Restorative Justice (RJ) assessment session with an RJ worker
- Paying compensation to victims
- Giving a written or verbal apology
- Restrictive conditions not to contact a named person or go to a certain location
- Paying a fine to court
Other conditions can include engaging with other services based on the individual needs of those involved. ​We are continuously looking at the provision of existing and new condition options, so these will vary from time to time, and we hope to expand on these in the future.
*trial now finalised in one District and subject to further commissioning processes
Other OOCR
All other OOCR are used much less frequently, accounting for less than 0.2% of all our outcomes in 2025.​​
How do South Yorkshire Police use Out of Court Resolutions?
The most common offence types where we used an OOCR in 2025 were:
- Assaults (accounting for around 37% of all OOCR)
- Drugs offences (accounting for around 27% of all OOCR)
- Theft or other acquisitive crime (accounting for around 15% of all OOCR)
- Criminal damage and arson (accounting for around 9% of all OOCR)
- Public order offences (accounting for around 8% of all OOCR)
- Other offences (accounting for around 4% of all OOCR)
Of all OOCRs we issued in 2025 (where age, ethnicity and/or gender is recorded on our crime system):
- 68% were given to offenders who identified as male
- 32% were given to offenders who identified as female
- 87% were given to offenders who identified as White or White British
- 13% were given to offenders who identified as an ethnicity other than White or White British
- 24% were given to Youth Offenders (17 years of age or under)
- 76% given to Adult Offenders (18 years of age or older)
All data shown above is from a live recording system and is therefore subject to change.
** The Census of South Yorkshire (2021) records the South Yorkshire population as 87.7 per cent White and 12.3 per cent as an ethnicity other than White.
When can an Out of Court Resolution be used and who makes the decision to administer them?
When considering whether to finalise an investigation with an OOCR we place the victim directly at the heart of our decision-making process. Our police officers and staff must take all reasonable steps to consult with and obtain the views of the victim on the appropriate outcome to any investigation.
While the victim’s wishes will always be considered very carefully, there are strict criteria which must be met before an OOCR can be used. We must, amongst other things, consider the seriousness and circumstances of the offence, the available evidence and public interest, the impact of the offence on the victim, the previous offending history of the offender, whether the offence is admitted and the appropriateness of any potential conditions to be attached to the disposal. Therefore, the final decision on whether an OOCR should be used rests with our professional judgement and in some cases that of the Crown Prosecution Service.
How do South Yorkshire Police ensure that Out of Court Resolutions are used appropriately?
Authorisation and administration of all OOCRs must be completed lawfully, legitimately, ethically and in accordance with local policy and National Guidance.
Through regular scrutiny of outcomes, we seek to ensure that there is appropriate use of OOCR across the Force so that we and the public can be confident that OOCR are being applied correctly and consistently.
Supervisors are directly responsible for ensuring that officers under their command use OOCR appropriately and according to policy and guidance. Many OOCR also require authorisation from a supervisor of Sergeant or Inspector rank before they can be used.
Additional internal scrutiny of the use of OOCR is provided through regular checks and audits by our Force Lead for OOCR, Audit and Governance Team and Crime Data Accuracy Hub.
We promote the appropriate use of OOCR through guidance, training and monitoring as well as feedback to individual officers and their supervisors. There is also external oversight of our use of OOCR by an independent Scrutiny Panel.
What is the Independent OOCR Scrutiny Panel and how does that work?
The OOCR Scrutiny Panel is an independent panel of people comprising of Magistrates, representatives from the Crown Prosecution Service and victims’ organisation representing the victims’ voice. A senior Youth Offending Team representative, the Force Crime Incident Registrar and Force Lead for OOCR are also represented at meetings of the OOCR Scrutiny Panel but do not have a vote in panel decisions.
Members of the OOCR Scrutiny Panel have agreed to engage with the scrutiny of our decisions in dealing with offenders using OOCR to enhance consistency, transparency and public confidence.
The OOCR Scrutiny Panel meets once every three to four months to dip-sample a random selection of investigations finalised with an OOCR and to check that local policy and national guidance has been applied by the officer and/or the decision maker as appropriate to the circumstances of the case.
When considering investigations, the OOCR Scrutiny Panel will assess whether the use of an OOCR was either; appropriate and consistent with local policy and national guidance, appropriate and consistent (with observations) or inappropriate and inconsistent with local policy and national guidance.
The findings of the OOCR Scrutiny Panel are shared widely and offer an effective feedback mechanism to us for organisational learning and to individual officers for training or development needs, as well as identifying examples of good practice.
Independent OOCR Scrutiny Panel Results Reports