August 2014
Featured in this insight: Police, crime & community safety
Survey shows crime reduction in England and Wales: The CSEW figures, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), estimated there were 7.5 million crimes against households and adults in the year ending in December 2013 – down 15% compared with the previous year’s survey and the lowest estimate since 1981.
Separate police figures however, show increases in some areas such as fraud, up 25%, and a 17% rise in sex offences, which can, in part, potentially be attributed to publicity surrounding the Jimmy Saville scandal.
The reduction of crime measured was driven by a fall in offences – including household theft, which was down by a quarter (25%) and overall violence which fell by a fifth (22%). Reports of vandalism fell 15% over the course of the year.
Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker said:
"Under this coalition government, overall crime is down by more than 10% according to both the independent Crime Survey and police-recorded crime.
"We can have confidence that England and Wales are safer than they have been for decades, with crime at its lowest level since the survey began in 1981."
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