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| Recorded crime figures show fall | Recorded crime figures show fall |
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| Police-recorded crime in England and Wales fell 9% in the 12 months to March, latest figures suggest. | Police-recorded crime in England and Wales fell 9% in the 12 months to March, latest figures suggest. |
| The first reliable figures for knife crime showed there were 22,000 offences last year. | The first reliable figures for knife crime showed there were 22,000 offences last year. |
| The statistics also show that while the risk of being a victim is at its lowest ever level, people still think that the rate is going up. | The statistics also show that while the risk of being a victim is at its lowest ever level, people still think that the rate is going up. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was "extremely pleased" with the overall reduction. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was "extremely pleased" with the overall reduction. |
| The annual crime report for 2007-2008 reveals the longest recorded period of falling crime - down 48% from 1995. | The annual crime report for 2007-2008 reveals the longest recorded period of falling crime - down 48% from 1995. |
| It shows there were five million recorded crimes. All the main categories were down, including violent crime and sex offences, but drug offences were up 18%, gun crime was up 2% and murder was up 3%. Map of crime hotspots | It shows there were five million recorded crimes. All the main categories were down, including violent crime and sex offences, but drug offences were up 18%, gun crime was up 2% and murder was up 3%. Map of crime hotspots |
| Scotland compiles its statistics separately and its annual crime report is due to be published in September. | Scotland compiles its statistics separately and its annual crime report is due to be published in September. |
| The Police Service of Northern Ireland published its 2007-2008 crime report in May. FORCES WITH MOST KNIFE CRIMES* Metropolitan police: 7,409West Midlands: 2,303Greater Manchester: 2,294West Yorkshire: 915Merseyside: 757South Wales: 585Nottinghamshire: 548England & Wales total: 22,151 *Attempted murder, GBH, wounding, robbery Full list for each forceMother describes knife fearsTeenager on knife crimeMark Easton's blog | The Police Service of Northern Ireland published its 2007-2008 crime report in May. FORCES WITH MOST KNIFE CRIMES* Metropolitan police: 7,409West Midlands: 2,303Greater Manchester: 2,294West Yorkshire: 915Merseyside: 757South Wales: 585Nottinghamshire: 548England & Wales total: 22,151 *Attempted murder, GBH, wounding, robbery Full list for each forceMother describes knife fearsTeenager on knife crimeMark Easton's blog |
| It showed a 10.5% drop from the previous year, making it the lowest level of crime recorded since 1998. | It showed a 10.5% drop from the previous year, making it the lowest level of crime recorded since 1998. |
| Home Office experts say the latest figures show that offences are concentrated in hotspots - some of which have experienced localised increases in crime - and are not evenly spread around England and Wales. | Home Office experts say the latest figures show that offences are concentrated in hotspots - some of which have experienced localised increases in crime - and are not evenly spread around England and Wales. |
| They also say the figures mirror trends in falling crime seen throughout the developed world. | They also say the figures mirror trends in falling crime seen throughout the developed world. |
| The annual report combines police-recorded crime and statistics from the British Crime Survey (BCS), a victimisation survey which asked 47,000 adults about their experience of crimes. | The annual report combines police-recorded crime and statistics from the British Crime Survey (BCS), a victimisation survey which asked 47,000 adults about their experience of crimes. |
| For the types it covers, the BCS can provide a better reflection of the true extent of crime because it includes ones that are not reported to the police and crimes which are not recorded by them. | For the types it covers, the BCS can provide a better reflection of the true extent of crime because it includes ones that are not reported to the police and crimes which are not recorded by them. |
| The BCS showed the risk of being a victim of crime has fallen from 24 to 22%, the lowest level recorded since the survey began in 1981. | The BCS showed the risk of being a victim of crime has fallen from 24 to 22%, the lowest level recorded since the survey began in 1981. |
| However, 65% of people said they thought rates had gone up nationally. But the same proportion again thought crime had fallen locally. | However, 65% of people said they thought rates had gone up nationally. But the same proportion again thought crime had fallen locally. |
| The overall picture from the survey was that crime was down 10% to 10.1 million crimes. It also showed that 947,000 violent offences were caused by alcohol. | The overall picture from the survey was that crime was down 10% to 10.1 million crimes. It also showed that 947,000 violent offences were caused by alcohol. |
| Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said local communities and police should be "very encouraged" that their efforts to cut crime were paying off. | Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said local communities and police should be "very encouraged" that their efforts to cut crime were paying off. |
| The home secretary, meanwhile, said the government had exceeded its reduction target, but was committed to doing more "so that everyone feels improvement". | The home secretary, meanwhile, said the government had exceeded its reduction target, but was committed to doing more "so that everyone feels improvement". |
| She acknowledged that "knives are still being used in the most serious violent incidents" and said the Youth Crime Action plan published this week was part of a wider package of measures aimed at tackling the problem. CRIME FIGURES IN FULL | She acknowledged that "knives are still being used in the most serious violent incidents" and said the Youth Crime Action plan published this week was part of a wider package of measures aimed at tackling the problem. CRIME FIGURES IN FULL |
| Crime in England and Wales 2007/08 [1.8Mb] Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here | Crime in England and Wales 2007/08 [1.8Mb] Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here |
| Serious violent crimes involving a blade have previously been bundled with other attacks, but since April last year officers have recorded them separately in light of growing public concern. | Serious violent crimes involving a blade have previously been bundled with other attacks, but since April last year officers have recorded them separately in light of growing public concern. |
| Police recorded 22,151 offences involving knives last year in England and Wales, including grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, woundings and robbery but not murder. | Police recorded 22,151 offences involving knives last year in England and Wales, including grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, woundings and robbery but not murder. |
| It amounts to an average of 60 knife offences every day. | It amounts to an average of 60 knife offences every day. |
| The statistics include a force-by-force breakdown of knife crime, with the highest number of offences - 7,409 - recorded in London. | The statistics include a force-by-force breakdown of knife crime, with the highest number of offences - 7,409 - recorded in London. |
| Gordon Brown said he wanted to make carrying a blade as "unacceptable" as having a gun on the streets. | Gordon Brown said he wanted to make carrying a blade as "unacceptable" as having a gun on the streets. |
| "It is because we have identified the problem of knife crime, and particularly in some hotspots of the country, that we have stepped up our action dramatically," he said. | "It is because we have identified the problem of knife crime, and particularly in some hotspots of the country, that we have stepped up our action dramatically," he said. |
| "We will do everything in our power to prevent people having knives." | "We will do everything in our power to prevent people having knives." |
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