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Crime rate at 20 year low
The risk of being a victim of crime in England and Wales is the lowest in more than 20 years according to today’s figures from the British Crime Survey. The level of overall crime fell by two per cent last year, and has fallen by one quarter since 1997.
Changes to the way crimes are recorded have helped to produce figures which give an accurate picture of local crime rather than just what has been recorded. The new National Crime Recording Standard has helped to ensure that yobbish behaviour is recorded.
Key findings of the survey show:
- a significant and sustained fall in robbery, largely due to the Street Crime Initiative
- stable figures for burglary, with figures at a historic low after large falls in the last few years
- a five per cent fall in vehicle crime
- unchanged figures for violent crime. This category now includes offences that involve no serious physical injury
Home Secretary David Blunkett said:
“I am encouraged by the figures published today which show overall crime is continuing to fall, and the risk of being a victim has fallen from 40 per cent in 1995 to 27 per cent - its lowest level for more than 20 years…I am particularly pleased that we have reduced robbery while keeping vehicle crime and burglaries at historic lows. Since 1997 burglary has decreased by 39 per cent and vehicle crime by 31 per cent.”
He also said that there are now record numbers of police officers on the streets, supported by 1,400 community support officers. The Government is reforming the criminal justice system to bring more offenders to justice and deter future offenders, he added.
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