British Crime Survey

According to Home Office figures published on 25 January overall crime fell by 11% in the year ending September 2004. The British Crime Survey (BCS), which relies on interviews with members of the public, suggests that the level of domestic burglary is stable, although Police recorded crime shows a 23% fall. On vehicle crime the BCS shows a fall of 14% and says that the overall risk of being a victim of crime is 25%, the lowest in over 20 years. The BCS also notes that the level of violent crime is stable, although police recorded crime shows an increase of 6%. Also published on 25 January the ‘Volume on Gun Crime and Homicide in 2003/2004’ shows that 38% of all gun crime in England and Wales took place in the Metropolitan Police area, with around 28% of offences involving the use of imitation firearms, although a 15% drop in the use of handguns is also noted.