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Statistics

Crime in England and Wales: Quarterly Update to December 2004

The Home Office publishes annual figures on crime levels from 2 sources, the British Crime Survey (BCS) and police recorded crime, in July each year. Additionally, quarterly summary updates to these figures are published detailing crime over a 12 month period.

Title: Crime in England and Wales: Quarterly Update to December 2004
Author: Michelle Clegg, Andrea Finney and Katherine Thorpe
Series: Home Office Statistical Bulletin 07/05
Date published: April 2005
Number of pages: 14
Availability: Download full report PDF 92Kb

Main points

  • The risk of being a victim of crime, at 24%, is the lowest recorded by the BCS since the survey began in 1981.

  • The BCS showed statistically significant falls in domestic burglary, vehicle thefts, all household crime and all personal crime compared with interviews in the year to December 2003.

  • The number of crimes recorded by the police fell by 5% in October to December 2004 compared with the same period in the previous year. This decrease in total recorded crime has remained consistent over the previous three quarters. The figures show a 10% increase in violence against the person but increases in recorded violence continue to reflect the improved police recording of crime.

  • The number of domestic burglaries and vehicle thefts recorded by the police fell by 17% and 16% respectively.

  • In the year to December 2004, there were a provisional 11,082 firearm offences, an increase of 10% compared with the previous year. This increase is mainly due to offences involving imitation weapons.

  • The BCS shows levels of worry about the main crime types have fallen compared with the previous year, whereas the level of perceived anti-social behaviour remains stable.

  • Levels of confidence in aspects of the criminal justice system (CJS) have improved compared with the previous year.

Percentage change in the main crime types according to BCS interviews in the 12 months to December 2004 compared with a year earlier, England and Wales
Graph showing reductions in 3 crime types, and an overall 11% drop in all BCS crime

Percentage change in recorded crime, October to December 2004 compared with the same quarter a year earlier, England and Wales
Graph showing changes in recorded crime for 10 crime types, and an overall 5% reduction in recorded crime.

Last update: 21 April 2005

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