Latest data shows the nature of criminality in our society is changing
The Office of National Statistics has today published data on crime in England and Wales for the year ending June 2021.
Marc Jones, Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said: “Changes to people’s lives brought on by the pandemic resulted in notable reductions in most crime types. Homicide, robbery, theft, and burglary all saw double-digit percentage decreases in the period from July 2020 to June 2021 compared with the previous year.
“However, this downward trend was not replicated in incidents of domestic abuse, stalking and harassment, or sexual offences. Throughout the pandemic, and with victims of these crimes feeling more empowered to come forward for help, Police and Crime Commissioners continued to fund specialist support services tailored to their needs.
“Overall, the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates a 12% increase in crime. Large increases in fraud (32%) and incidents of computer misuse (85%) more than offset reductions in traditional acquisitive crimes.
“It is clear that the nature of criminality in our society is changing so it is vital our forces have the specialist skills and investigative capability to keep pace with this.
“Ultimately, only 1 in 8 crimes in this period resulted in an offender being charged or otherwise dealt with.
“Particularly worrying is that more than a quarter of all investigations were closed because the victim did not support police action. There are no quick fixes but we must all work harder to understand what more can be done to support victims through the process and to increase wider confidence in the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. As chairs of Local Criminal Justice Boards, PCCs would be well-placed to drive this important work if afforded greater powers to hold local partners to account.
“PCCs also support a greater focus on prevention. We are funding projects across England and Wales which seek to reduce crime and cut reoffending to stop crimes happening in the first place.”