‘Low-volume, high-harm’ crime rate rises in Britain
Crime figures in Britain remained static last year after falling for several years.
Helen Ross from the Office for National Statistics Centre for Crime and Justice, said: “In recent decades we’ve seen the overall level of crime falling, but in the last year, it remained level.
“There are variations within this overall figure, depending on the type of crime. Burglary, shoplifting and computer misuse are decreasing, but others, such as vehicle offences and robbery are rising.
“We have also seen increases in some types of ‘lower-volume, high-harm’ violence, including offences involving knives or sharp instruments,” Ross said.
The police recorded 41,884 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in the year ending June 2018.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) provides an overview of long-term changes in theft offences, with the latest estimates showing no significant change.
Police figures show a mixed picture:
- A 3% increase in vehicle offences, due largely to a 10% increase in the subcategory of ‘theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle’,
- A 17% increase in robbery offences, continuing increases seen in previous years,
- A 1% decrease in burglary, following increases in recent years, and
- A 1% decrease in shoplifting, following a longer period of increases.
Violent crime
There has been no change in commonly occurring types of violent crime.
Lower-harm violent offences (for example, violence without injury, assault with minor injury) remain stable.
“There are variations within this overall figure, depending on the type of crime. Burglary, shoplifting and computer misuse are decreasing, but others, such as vehicle offences and robbery are rising.
“We have also seen increases in some types of ‘lower-volume, high-harm’ violence, including offences involving knives or sharp instruments,” Ross said.
The police recorded 41,884 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in the year ending June 2018.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) provides an overview of long-term changes in theft offences, with the latest estimates showing no significant change.
Police figures show a mixed picture:
A 3% increase in vehicle offences, due largely to a 10% increase in the subcategory of ‘theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle’; a 17% increase in robbery offences, continuing increases seen in previous years; a 1% decrease in burglary, following increases in recent years, and a 1% decrease in shoplifting, following a longer period of increases.
There has been no change in commonly occurring types of violent crime.
Lower-harm violent offences (for example, violence without injury, assault with minor injury) remain stable.
However, police-recorded crime and health-service data sources show:
- An 8% increase in the number of police-recorded offences involving knives or sharp instruments,
- A 15% increase in the number of admissions to hospital in England for assaults involving a sharp instrument,
- A 14% increase in the number of homicides, and
- A 4% decrease in the number of police-recorded offences involving firearms.
Many of these lower-volume, higher-harm types of violence tend to be concentrated in London and other metropolitan areas.
However, police-recorded crime and health-service data sources show:
- An 8% increase in the number of police-recorded offences involving knives or sharp instruments,
- A 15% increase in the number of admissions to hospital in England for assaults involving a sharp instrument,
- A 14% increase in the number of homicides, and
- A 4% decrease in the number of police-recorded offences involving firearms.
Many of these lower-volume, higher-harm types of violence tend to be concentrated in London and other metropolitan areas.