A new website that provides local crime data and crime prevention advice was launched today by the Home Office.
The crime statistics site – which can be accessed via the Home Office website ( www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime) - allows users to search by postcode and analyse local crime figures and compare them to the national average. Users can also examine findings from the British Crime Survey (BCS), the most authoritative and reliable indicator of crime trends, and look at police recorded crime statistics for each region and all of England and Wales.
The website also includes advice and information about crime prevention and links to local crime reduction partnerships and police forces. The launch of the website is a key element of Home Office work to make crime statistics more transparent and more accessible.
The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said:
"Since becoming Home Secretary I have been personally committed to giving people more meaningful and useful information about crime in their area. That is why I introduced quarterly updates of crime statistics and why we publish the British Crime Survey together with police recorded crime. As a result of the National Crime Recording Standard, when a victim of crime reports it to the police, that crime will be recorded. Previously that might not have happened.
"The new website being launched today marks the next stage in this process. It will give every computer user, whether at home or in the library, instant access to crime data in their area and valuable crime prevention advice.
"Providing local people with the real picture of crime in their area helps them engage with their local police force, makes the force more accountable and ensures that the police tackle the crimes that matter most in their neighbourhoods. In addition, through this website, they will be able to hear about, and contribute, to local work to keep crime down.
"Crime overall is stable and volume crimes such as burglary, robbery and vehicle crime, are continuing to fall significantly. But fear of crime is still high, despite the fact that your chance of being a victim of crime is at its lowest level for more than twenty years.
"It is important to put the increases in police recording of violent crime into context. Better police crime recording policies mean that local forces now have a clearer picture of crime in their area and that anti-social behaviour and low level thuggery, which are included in the violent crime figures, are more accurately recorded. We are also encouraging victims to report crimes, especially violent and sexual offences, and we would expect to see a rise in the recording of these figures.
"As I announced last week, we now have the highest number ever of police officers patrolling our streets – 138,155, supported by 3,243 community support officers. As a result, people are starting to feel safer."
Notes to Editors:
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The new website can be found at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime and includes results of the British Crime Survey, as well as police recorded crime in England and Wales, by region and for all 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships for the 12 months to 31 March 2003.
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The website cites figures for all crime, burglary, criminal damage, drug offences, fraud and forgery, robbery, sexual offences, vehicle theft and violence against the person.
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Users can also access advice on home security, personal safety, preventing vehicle crime, fraud scams, details about the work of local crime reduction partnerships and links to organisations providing support and assistance.
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The Home Office announced on Tuesday 2 March that police numbers in England and Wales have reached 138,155, the highest number ever and a rise of more than 14,000 in three and a half years. The Home Secretary also announced more than £5 million for the Reassurance Programme to put police back at the heart of their communities.
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The latest quarterly update of crime statistics for the period July-September 2003 were published on 22 January 2004. Key findings were:
Total crime:
BCS fall of one per cent.
Police recorded crime is unchanged.
Domestic burglary:
BCS fall of two per cent.
Police recorded crime fall of three per cent.
Robbery:
Police recorded crime fall of two per cent.
Violent crime:
BCS fall of three per cent.
Police recorded crime increase of 14 per cent.
Vehicle crime
:
BCS fall of five per cent.
Police recorded crime fall of eight per cent.
Victimisation rate:
The British Crime Survey shows the risk of being a victim of crime remains historically low at 27 per cent – around the same level as 1981 and one-third lower than the risk in 1995 (40 per cent).
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