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Recorded crime continues to fall in England and Wales | Recorded crime continues to fall in England and Wales |
(40 minutes later) | |
By Dominic Casciani BBC News home affairs correspondent | |
The number of crimes recorded by police in England and Wales fell by 6% in the year to end of December 2010. | The number of crimes recorded by police in England and Wales fell by 6% in the year to end of December 2010. |
All types of recorded crime fell, except sexual offences and some types of theft, up by 3% and 1% respectively. | All types of recorded crime fell, except sexual offences and some types of theft, up by 3% and 1% respectively. |
Violence recorded by police fell 6%. But there were contradictory figures on whether the number of home burglaries had risen or gone down. | Violence recorded by police fell 6%. But there were contradictory figures on whether the number of home burglaries had risen or gone down. |
The figures continue a general trend of falling crime and rising confidence in police. | The figures continue a general trend of falling crime and rising confidence in police. |
The government uses two methods to measure crime: offences recorded by police forces and the British Crime Survey, which asks people about their experiences, rather than just what they report. | The government uses two methods to measure crime: offences recorded by police forces and the British Crime Survey, which asks people about their experiences, rather than just what they report. |
href="http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/hosb0611/" >According to the figures for the 12 months to the end of December, the BCS found that overall crime fell by 3% compared with the previous year. The BCS found no significant change in the rate of violence. | |
Police recorded a 17% fall in criminal damage and a 12% fall in vehicle crime, typically car break-ins. Police figures also showed a 1% fall in robberies. | |
Burglary contradictions | Burglary contradictions |
However, the two official measures came up with different figures for home burglaries. | However, the two official measures came up with different figures for home burglaries. |
Police forces recorded a 7% fall in domestic burglaries over the 12 months - but the British Crime Survey said that they had gone up by 14%. The discrepancy has widened since the last set of quarterly figures. | |
Police statisticians are examining the difference and believe it may be a "perception gap", rather than a fault with the way officers are recording crime. | Police statisticians are examining the difference and believe it may be a "perception gap", rather than a fault with the way officers are recording crime. |
They point to the example of damage to a property's perimeter or to a garage door. While a householder may suspect attempted burglary, the police may categorise it as criminal damage because there is no clear evidence of burglary. | They point to the example of damage to a property's perimeter or to a garage door. While a householder may suspect attempted burglary, the police may categorise it as criminal damage because there is no clear evidence of burglary. |
The BCS recorded a 12% rise in bicycle thefts and an 8% rise in other household theft. Police also recorded a 7% fall in firearms offences. | The BCS recorded a 12% rise in bicycle thefts and an 8% rise in other household theft. Police also recorded a 7% fall in firearms offences. |
The overall risk of being a victim of crime remained roughly the same as the previous 12 months, at just over 21%. | The overall risk of being a victim of crime remained roughly the same as the previous 12 months, at just over 21%. |
The proportion of people who said the police were performing well increased from 56% to 58% over the year. | The proportion of people who said the police were performing well increased from 56% to 58% over the year. |
There was also a slight rise in the number of people happy with the way local councils were tackling anti-social behaviour. | There was also a slight rise in the number of people happy with the way local councils were tackling anti-social behaviour. |
Sexual offences up | |
Police figures showed 3% rise in recorded sexual offences - up from 53,091 crimes to 54,602. The most serious sexual offences were up 6% to 44,693, compared with 42,187 in 2009. | |
The figures also represent a slowing in the rising trend in these offences. | |
Chief Constable Jon Murphy, the head of crime for the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said: "The official crime statistics are showing that the risk of being a victim of crime remains at a 30-year low, and downward trends continue for most offence categories. | |
"Ongoing increases in sex offences, following efforts nationally to improve all areas of sex offence investigation, are also showing signs of slowing. | |
"We remain determined to bring to justice people who commit sex crimes - and encourage victims to have the confidence to report such crimes." |