The findings could reignite political debate over the significance of the riots.
Five days of serious disorder in cities across England in August were only dissipated by the deployment of thousands of police officers on the streets.
Prime Minister David Cameron blamed “criminality,” saying that street gangs were at the heart of the problem, and rejected accusations that government austerity measures had alienated youths in poorer communities.
But an analysis by the Home Office and Ministry of Justice of those arrested during and after the riots showed gangs had not been a major factor.
Only 13 percent of those arrested nationwide were reported to have been affiliated to a gang, and most police forces outside London registered a figure below 10 percent.
“In terms of the role gangs played in the disorder, most forces perceived that where gang members were involved, they generally did not play a pivotal role,” said the Home Office report, although it said there were examples of some orchestrated problems.
The analysis, based on data available up to mid-October, showed there had been more than 5,000 crimes recorded during the five days of rioting, almost 4,000 arrests and nearly 2,000 people had appeared in court.
Most offenders or suspects came from socially deprived backgrounds and had criminal records. Half of those appearing in court were under 20, with a quarter aged 10 to 17.
Just over three-quarters had a previous conviction, and 26 percent had already committed more than 10 offenses.
“It is clear that compared to population averages, those brought before the courts were more likely to be in receipt of free school meals or benefits, were more likely to have had special educational needs and be absent from school, and more likely to have some form of criminal history,” the Ministry of Justice report said.
The figures showed most of the young people involved lived in one of the 20 most deprived areas of the country and two-thirds were classed as having some form of special educational needs.
Thirty-five percent of adults involved were unemployed compared to an English national average of 12 percent.
