Drop in crime report. True or False ?

[modeller]

It is claimed there is an overall drop in crime. Do you believe it ? Or is it the way they now record crime ?
I was the victim of two crimes but because no one was charged they were recorded as No Crimes.

[jake-the-peg]

That doesn't sound right to me

Difficult without any details but the process is outlined here
http://rds.homeoffice...s/recordedcrime1.html

The decision should be made when it is reported not whether or not anyone was charged - and the reporting standard is documented here:

http://www.countingru...df/countrecstan03.pdf

The test is:

if, on the balance of probability:
(a) The circumstances as reported amount to a crime defined by law (the Police will
determine this, based on their knowledge of the law and counting rules).
and
(b) There is no credible evidence to the contrary.

I think you'll have to tell us more about your experience.

And yes I do believe it because most surveys seem to show this trend - however I do expect it to go up as unemployment and recession bites.

The Devil makes use of idle hands

[chas2008]

i think its the way the figures are interpreted or the goal posts altered to suit.

[rov1200]

Michael Howard got it right when he said 'Prison Works'. Its so obvious I don't see how Ken Clarke can dispute it.

If the criminals are all locked up they are not free to commit another crime so the crime rate goes down. Its a well known fact that ex-prisoners reoffend.

If they were to be let out sooner or not imprisoned at all then the crime rate would certainly go up.

[modeller]

The situation was that a shot was fired from my neighbours house or garden at my security light which was shattered.
I collected the debris which included lead pellets. I contacted the police who originally didn't want to investigate unless it happened again. I insisted that they should look into it and after I complained to my local councillor they finally turned up after a week.
They collected all the evidence and went and interviewed my neighbour who accepted the fact that the shot had come from his house or garden but naturally denied he or his son were involved. It was suggested that one of his son's friends or a burglar had shot the light out and of course it couldn't be proved either way.
The police officers then told me that because nothing could be done it would be recorded as
a No Crime .
I would point out I am on friendly terms with my neighbour and there has never been any problems between us. I therefore didn't want to stir up trouble by not accepting what the police had said.
However if this No Crime recording is common place I'm not surprised that crime figures are down.

[modeller]

A similar thing happened about five years ago when shots from a totally different direction hit my
conservatory. On that occasion the culprit was identified and agreed to pay for all the repairs if I didn't press charges . I agreed and no one was charged but that was also recorded as a No Crime.

[rojash]

"based on their knowledge of the law"
Never heard of a policemen who had any knowledge of the law.

[birdie1971]

Rojash - “Never heard of a policemen who had any knowledge of the law”

I'll wager you don't know any Police Officers. The vast majority of PO's are extremely knowledgeable about the specific laws that they deal with on a regular basis (right down to the word-for-word definition and how it has been interpreted in case law). No PO is a walking encyclopedia about the law any more than a solicitor is an expert in every aspect of law. But having been a copper, I can assure you that your average PO knows more about the criminal laws of this land than 99% of the population.

[rojash]

birdie1971,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KXNanoZQf4

[birdie1971]

Wow. And that's your argument is it?

An individual Police Officer refuses to answer the question, “What is the difference between a Statute and a Law” and from that you conclude that Police Officers do not understand the law?

This doesn't even support your assertion that, “Never heard of a policemen who had any knowledge of the law”.


So what do you think happens then when a Police Officer arrests someone? Do you think they say, “I'm arresting you on suspicion of... err.. something... err... you do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you fail to mention...” etc?


Your suggestion that Police Officers have no understanding of the law is stupid, absurd and laughable. If you are correct than how do you explain the current prison population if every PO is incompetent and clueless?

[jno]

so, they're still aresting tourists for taking photos of St Paul's, are they?