Recorded crime in England and Wales is falling at an accelerating rate, according to overall figures published today

The 9 per cent fall in crimes recorded by police forces is marred by a 4 per cent increase in gun crime, though the numbers of death from firearms offences has fallen.

The latest crime figures will be a relief to Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, in the wake of her controversial remarks that she would feel unsafe walking the streets of London at night.

Recorded crimes fell by 1.24m between July and September last year compared with the same period last year with double digit percentage falls in criminal damage, offences against vehicles, robbery, most serious violence against the person and offences against the person where no injury was caused.


There was a 21 per cent increase in drugs offences recorded by police which the Home Office said was a result of police making greater use of the powers to issue warnings to people found in possession of cannabis.

The British Crime Survey, a separate set of figures based on interviews with 40,000 members of the public on their experience of crime, said that crime remained stable.

The firearms figures show offences rising 4 per cent to 10,182 in the year ending in September last year but the number of fatal injuries fell 11 per cent from 55 to 49 and the number of serious injuries from 438 to 368.

Firearms offences where threats were made increased by 6 per cent to 5,357 and where there were no injuries by 6 per cent to 1,680.

The Home Secretary, said: “These latest crime figures contain some excellent results and I am particularly pleased that the risk of being a victim of crime is now at a historically low level.

“Recorded crime is down and crime measured by the BCS is stable.

“Police recorded violence against the person, robbery and burglary have fallen considerably compared with the same period a year ago. Enforcement is key part of our approach to tackling drug harm and I welcome further evidence that police are maintaining a tight grip on drugs offending.”

The BCS statistics also show that in the 12 months to the end of September, the proportion of adults with a high level of worry about car crime fell from 13.4 per cent to 12.6 per cent and about violent crime from 17 per cent to 16 per cent.

Public confidence in the criminal justice system significantly fell in two areas - reducing crime from 38 per cent to 37 per cent and in dealing with young people accused of crime from 26 per cent to 24


England has changed so much in the last few years,it's unbeliveable it doesnt feel like the same country anymore