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| Crime 'stable' but robbery rises | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Crime in England and Wales has remained stable during the past year, according to Home Office figures. | |
| Police recorded the first fall in overall violence in eight years, but drug offences and robbery went up. | |
| The figures also indicate 24-hour drinking laws have not changed rates of alcohol-fuelled crime, but have merely shifted incidents to the early hours. | |
| The Home Office said it needed to boost public confidence in statistics because 65% believed crime was rising. | |
| The department said police forces would soon start publishing local monthly crime figures to give the public a better idea of what was happening, adding that national figures might not always reflect local conditions. | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "One of the biggest challenges we face is that public perceptions of crime levels remain high. Every community faces its own unique challenges when it comes to crime." | |
| As the latest crime figures were published ministers were preparing to launch a strategy to move public perception of crime into line with falling figures. | |
| Despite crime statistics having dropped for the last decade, British people are among the most fearful in Europe. | Despite crime statistics having dropped for the last decade, British people are among the most fearful in Europe. |
| It is understood that some centralised targets will be eased, and schemes will be judged on local people's reactions. | It is understood that some centralised targets will be eased, and schemes will be judged on local people's reactions. |
| Meanwhile, police chiefs have been criticised by a committee of MPs who concluded that giving police forces extra cash had not helped reduce crime. | Meanwhile, police chiefs have been criticised by a committee of MPs who concluded that giving police forces extra cash had not helped reduce crime. |
| 'Major increase' | 'Major increase' |
| The Home Affairs select committee found that the drop in levels of crime had taken place before the injection of funds began. | The Home Affairs select committee found that the drop in levels of crime had taken place before the injection of funds began. |
| In real terms, police budgets went up in England and Wales by 40% from £8.5bn in 1996/7 to £12bn in 2006/7 and the number of officers rose by 11%, according to a report by the committee. | In real terms, police budgets went up in England and Wales by 40% from £8.5bn in 1996/7 to £12bn in 2006/7 and the number of officers rose by 11%, according to a report by the committee. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY To be persuaded crime is going down, look at the government figures. To be persuaded it is not, look out the window B Anderson Send us your comments But its acting chairman, David Winnick, said: "We know the police have had a major increase in funding over the past decade but it is much more difficult to tell what they have done with it." | HAVE YOUR SAY To be persuaded crime is going down, look at the government figures. To be persuaded it is not, look out the window B Anderson Send us your comments But its acting chairman, David Winnick, said: "We know the police have had a major increase in funding over the past decade but it is much more difficult to tell what they have done with it." |
| The report added that, while the British Crime Survey (BCS) said crime had fallen by a third from 1997 to 2006, recorded violent crime had risen by 21%. | The report added that, while the British Crime Survey (BCS) said crime had fallen by a third from 1997 to 2006, recorded violent crime had risen by 21%. |
| Neighbourhood policing | Neighbourhood policing |
| The annual crime figures are also due to be released, showing overall crime at least stable, if not falling. | The annual crime figures are also due to be released, showing overall crime at least stable, if not falling. |
| But they are expected to raise concerns about the scale of lower-level violence. | But they are expected to raise concerns about the scale of lower-level violence. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Rory MacLean said that the popularity of measures like the introduction of neighbourhood policing teams in England and Wales has informed at least part of the new crime strategy. | BBC home affairs correspondent Rory MacLean said that the popularity of measures like the introduction of neighbourhood policing teams in England and Wales has informed at least part of the new crime strategy. |
| The Home Office is also scheduled to respond to the Smith Review of crime statistics, chaired by Professor Adrian Smith, which concluded in November 2006 that the BCS was "losing credibility". | The Home Office is also scheduled to respond to the Smith Review of crime statistics, chaired by Professor Adrian Smith, which concluded in November 2006 that the BCS was "losing credibility". |