17/07/2003

Official figures show violent crime on the increase

Latest figures from the Home Office show that levels of violent crime have risen in England and Wales during the past year.

Statistics showing a 22% increase in violent crime – and a 27% rise in female rape – have been attributed to a change in the way crimes are reported, with the definition of 'violent crime' widening to include incidents involving pushing or shoving, and a greater allowance for the victim's point of view when assessing the severity of the crime. This is known as the National Crime Recording Standard, which sees the definition of a crime linked to how the victim reports it, as opposed to categorisations decided by police.

The findings come on a day when another study is released which suggests people perceive that crime in general is on the increase. However, the Home Office figures do not bear this out, with robberies and burglaries on the decline, and overall crime levels following a pattern of decline which commenced a decade ago.

The numbers of murders increased by 18% - but this jump is due to the unusual allocation in this year's tally of 172 victims in the Harold Shipman murder case.

(CL)


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