Survey shows 5% crime reduction in England and Wales

Crime in England and Wales has fallen by 5%, according to the latest report from the British Crime Survey (BCS).

The quarterly update, the first to be published without adjustments to take account of the impact of the national crime recording standard, showed that police-recorded burglary, robbery and vehicle crime, had all "fallen significantly". Both the risk of being a victim of crime and the risk of being burgled remain at their lowest levels in more than 20 years.

Violent crime is stable, but there has been an increase in the reporting and recording of violent crimes to police which has risen by 9%. Much of the increase in recorded violent crime is "due to better reporting and recording of low-level thuggery and more willingness by victims to report sexual assaults".

However, provisional data on the latest trends in gun crime, also published today, show that the total number of firearm offences in 2002/03 (excluding offences involving air weapons) increased by 3% - this compares to a 35% increase in 2001/02. Final figures for 2002/3 will be published in January.

Around 17% of offences using firearms resulted in physical harm, the majority of which involved only minor injury.

Last year there were 80 fatal incidents compared to 95 the year before – a reduction of around one sixth.

Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears, said: "Crime overall is continuing to fall and offences such as burglary, robbery and vehicle crime, crimes which concern people the most, are showing significant falls.

"The increase in serious violence is an area of concern and I'm encouraged by more intensive policing and the impact of new measures to tackle gun crime. The risk of a fatal shooting in England and Wales is still one of the lowest in the world but every crime involving a firearm is a serious concern and every life lost to gun crime is a terrible tragedy."

(gmcg)