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| Police numbers and crime levels | Police numbers and crime levels |
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| In the eighth paragraph of Alan Travis's report is the crucial fact of the whole debate about the relationship between police numbers and crime levels: "Home Office statisticians say the evidence for a clear link between crime figures and police officer numbers is contested." (Crime falls to lowest level since survey began in 1981, 19 July). For contested, read "no evidence for". As Travis reported earlier this year (Report, 31 January): "The criminologists have always argued that there is no simple direct link between police numbers and crime rates… there has been a sustained fall in crime in England and Wales of more than 40% since the mid-90s. It looks increasingly likely that it is going to take more than a cut in police numbers – however deep – to bring it to an immediate juddering halt." Ian Sinclair London | In the eighth paragraph of Alan Travis's report is the crucial fact of the whole debate about the relationship between police numbers and crime levels: "Home Office statisticians say the evidence for a clear link between crime figures and police officer numbers is contested." (Crime falls to lowest level since survey began in 1981, 19 July). For contested, read "no evidence for". As Travis reported earlier this year (Report, 31 January): "The criminologists have always argued that there is no simple direct link between police numbers and crime rates… there has been a sustained fall in crime in England and Wales of more than 40% since the mid-90s. It looks increasingly likely that it is going to take more than a cut in police numbers – however deep – to bring it to an immediate juddering halt." Ian Sinclair London |
| • I see that "the official figures show a further 9% fall in the crime rate despite the loss of 14,000 police officers". Every time that crime figures fall the home secretary of the day commends government policies and the excellent work of the police; I'm not aware of the converse ever happening. | • I see that "the official figures show a further 9% fall in the crime rate despite the loss of 14,000 police officers". Every time that crime figures fall the home secretary of the day commends government policies and the excellent work of the police; I'm not aware of the converse ever happening. |
| However, given your graphic on page 11, perhaps the current home secretary would like to thank the previous government, which was clearly responsible for the bulk of the drop in crime and perhaps she, or the prime minister, would like to apologise to the nation for the policies of a previous Tory administration that was clearly responsible, with or without the assistance of poor policing, for their rise in the first place. Jim Cook Reading, Berkshire | However, given your graphic on page 11, perhaps the current home secretary would like to thank the previous government, which was clearly responsible for the bulk of the drop in crime and perhaps she, or the prime minister, would like to apologise to the nation for the policies of a previous Tory administration that was clearly responsible, with or without the assistance of poor policing, for their rise in the first place. Jim Cook Reading, Berkshire |
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