Crime Statistics

Find out who releases crime statistics and what they mean

Crime Statistics are produced annually in July by the Home Office and are used to gauge overall crime trends, to work out whether initiatives are improving crime rates and also to measure crime's impact on individuals and society.

Two primary measures are used to assess the patterns and trends in crime across England and Wales, both these measures are seen as essential and should not be read in isolation.

Police recorded crime figures are one data source that are used to measure crime rates and provide a good measure of trends in well-reported crimes and can be used to analyse local crime trends. However, these statistics alone don't paint an accurate picture because many crimes are not reported to police. The recorded crime data is provided by the current 43 police forces throughout England and Wales, who are required to supply the Home Office with monthly figures for all of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRP's) in their police force areas.

Since 1982, the annual British Crime Survey (BCS) has been analysed in conjunction with police recorded crime figures to get a more accurate picture of UK crime. The BCS is regarded as the most reliable indicator of long-term crime trends because it asks people about their actual experiences of crime. It's also useful for gauging public feeling because it measures how much people fear crime and how they try to avoid it.

The Home office website gives you more information on crime figures and details crime figures for specific regions. This can be accessed by clicking on the following link www.crimestatistics.org.uk.

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