October 22, 2004: New Crime Figures for England and Wales

Crime in England and Wales has fallen 7 percent compared to last year, according to British Crime Survey (BCS) quarterly figures just published. Many argue the BCS is perhaps the most authoritative and reliable indicator of crime trends.

The risk of being a victim of crime is the lowest since the BCS began in 1981. The BCS also shows that violent crime fell by 6 percent and violence involving any injury dropped by 12 percent.

However, if we consider crime figures as recorded by the police, then crime has fallen by 5 percent. Violent crime as recorded by the police increased by 11 percent. Much of this is said by the Home Office to be due to increased reporting and recording of ‘low level’ thuggery, more willingness to report sex offences, and the effect of new sex offence laws. Approximately half of all violent crimes did not involve injury to the victim. The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) was introduced formally in all police forces in April 2002. The NCRS has led to increases in some of the figures as police are now recording crimes that, although taking place, were not previously recorded.

Other key figures include:

• Domestic burglary:
  BCS fall of 2 percent (not statistically significant so stable)
  Police recorded crime fall of 23 percent
• Robbery:
  Police recorded crime fall of 15 per cent
• Vehicle crime:
  BCS fall of 12 per cent
  Police recorded crime fall of 18 per cent
• Violent Crime:
  BCS fall of six per cent (not statistically significant so stable)
  Police recorded crime increase of 11 per cent
• Victimisation rate:
  The British Crime Survey shows the risk of being a victim of crime remains historically low at 25 per cent – the lowest since the BCS started in 1981

A full copy of ‘Crime in England and Wales: Quarterly update to June 2004’ can be downloaded here. According to Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears:

"We are witnessing the longest sustained fall in crime in living memory with people less likely to be a victim of crime today than since the British Crime Survey started more than 20 years ago. Volume crimes such as burglary, robbery and vehicle crime are continuing to drop dramatically."

"Progress is also being made on tackling the type of violent crime that remains a problem. We are getting a clearer picture, mainly due to improvements in the way police record crimes, which mean low level thuggery, anti social behaviour and alcohol-related crime which are included in the violent crime figures are recorded more accurately…"

"The BCS figures show that worry about crime is going down, people are less worried about burglary, vehicle crime and violent crime than they were last year and fewer people think that anti-social behaviour is a problem in their area. "