Figures just released by Lincolnshire Police and reported on the BBC show that the county’s three armed response units were called out to 240 incidents in 2005 - a reduction of almost half on the 2001 figure of 450.
The teams deal with incidents involving guns, knives and other violent offences.
Armed response officer Carl Warrener, told the BBC he liked to think Lincolnshire was a safe place to live:
"There has certainly been a lot of media coverage about incidents involving knives and replica guns, not only in Lincolnshire but the country as a whole and hopefully the message is getting across.Let's hope we keep it that way by cutting crime even further next year.
"Dissuading people from using these types of weapons may account for the reduction.
"Thankfully in Lincolnshire, I like to think that it is a safe county and incidents involving firearms are very few and far between."
9 comments:
Who says you have cut it? Maybe it has just fallen. There are many factors involved, and I can't think of anything this feeble Government has done that would remotely cause a fall in crime. Maybe they have just given up reporting the crime to the useless police, who are more interested in political correctness than helping victims of crime. Yeh well done indeed(!).
Five out of six muggers still escape justice in West Lincolnshire.
How is it compared with 1997 Phil?
Tony Blair’s ten years in power have been ten years where Labour “talked tough and acted dumb” and if Gordon Brown takes over when the Prime Minister steps down next year, all the nation will get is “a darker shade of fail”.
It is good news! In reply to Geoffrey, it is difficult to get precise data as from 1998 more offences were included under violence - common assault, carrying a weapon and harrassment. As a result, the number of violent crimes recorded increased by 20% (Home Office Research Unit). Also, statistics from British Transport Police were first included in national statistics from 2002/3.
The British Crime Survey shows all recorded peaking in 1995 and falling thereafter by some 44%. That trend suggests that 1n 1995, 43% of the population wre victims of crime and in 2005/6 this had fallen to 23%. Violent crime has gone up because of the recording and categories (That is in the Times today). That report in the Times by a London University states that we are being misled by violent crime recording. The police recorded 1.2 m violent crimes in 2005/6 including 1.05m offences against the person. It states that 1/2 of the offences involved no injury and the figures include bigamy, 217000 cases of harrassment and also 17% of cases were common assault - involving no injury - offense could involve a shove. Another report by Kings College says that Domestic Violence is now more widely reported and of interest, 21% of violent crime is committed by women. As to be expected they say Friday and Saturday evening are the most popular times for violence!
I can remmebr a police officer being interviewed recently on the radio and he said his violent figures had gone up that month as a school boy had been threatening his friends for their school dinner money. He said at one time this incident of violence would be recorded as one crime but now the number of victims determines the number of offences committed. In this case it was double figures.
I have relied on academic and research documents for this comment. Whatever way you look at it crime has fallen and the increase in police numbers must have helped. (All the reports state that people are more prone to report crime too - particularly domestic violence).
We imprison more people even though crime has fallen so I believe this government has been tough (too tough for me) considering I am paying the £35,000 a year to keep each prisoner there.
I agree with you about prison costs Liz. We do need many more people in prison of course. Probably closer to a quarter of a million, rather than 80,000. I would cut the cost of each prisoner. 35,000 is a joke. I believe it would be possible to cut it to a fraction of the cost, and make jail more of a deterrent.
Alas Liz crime has not fallen, despite all the talk. Not amount of long winded excuses will suffice. Labour failed us in this regard, as so little else. I am sorry you feel they have been too tough, but I suspect most victims of crime will beg to differ.
I am disappointed you are sceptical Michael as this info came from independent academic research - nothing to do with government. I think collecting and analysing crime data will leave the Home Office as too many people believe the figures are distorted even though no independent research has disagreed with government figures.
Forgot to mention that the figures I gave you of £37,500 average cost of Adult Prisoner and £42,000 young offender relates to 2003/4. Cannot find up-to-date figures. Did read somewhere that the annual cost of prisoners in new jails amounted to £99,000 a year but did not know what this meant. Perhaps it relates to the building being procured under the PFI with the Home Office paying annually to the contractors? The figure alarms me!
Not sure about increasing the population of prisons. I would prefer more mental health/drug institutions - they would be cheaper. I would also disbar certain offenders from being sent to prison. The elderly pensioner last week who refused to pay his council tax for example. I would make him work for age concern for six months instead of paying for his prison placement.
Yes slave labour for pensioners, a real vote winner. I would give the pensioner a medal, and put his councillors in prison for wasting his money. As for more care for prisoners being cheaper. I don't think so. Simply lock these people away. No one in prison has ever done me any harm. Build the prisons, lock them up, and forget about them. No social workers/namby pamby bleeding hearts needed now. No doubt you and the rest of the liberal establishment will be appalled, and bleat about "human rights", but you don't seem to care about the rights of the people of Britain being violated every day by criminals, and insult our intelligence by claiming crime is going down when any walk around a British city tells you otherwise. No amount of phoney statistics or promises will disguise the extent of this Government's failure and dishonesty over crime.
Hi all...
Just back from day trip to France.
Good to see a lively debate on crime.
It's a joke hearing Tories and other right-wingers saying we need to be tough on crime - when in Parliament, the Tories have opposed every tough measure to tackle crime.
A few points if I may:
1. The figures on falling gun and knife incidents quoted in my post are not mine, or the Government's. They are directly from Lincolnshire Police (via the BBC).
2. I'm sorry, really, Michael that you think our police are "useless" - are you suggesting they are lying to us about the figures now. Maybe that nasty Mr Blair has told them to lie, eh?
3. It is not a coincidence Michael that overall, crime IS down by a third in Britain since 1997 (British Crime Survey figures) after doubling under the previous Government. Violent crime trebled under the Tories and is still a huge problem.
House burglaries and car crime in particular are down dramatically since 1997: it is true that violent crime has not seen the same dramatic falls.
4. Liz is right about the recording of crime which is more consistently recorded across the 43 forces today, but if one incident is reported by 20 people, then that is now counted as 20 incidents.
5. A record number of police clearly helps fight crime - when Michael Howard was Home Secretary, despite promising more police, numbers fell by more than 1,000.
6. Across the East Mids alone, there are today approx 1,000 MORE police officers than in 1997. Does anyone want to go back to Tory police numbers?
7. Labour has introduced almost 5,000 Community Police Support Officers as promised. They are making a real difference to visibilty and reassurance. Maybe Michael you would like to sack them?
8. on the point by anonymous about muggers escaping justice in West Lincs: I'm not sure about the numbers, but I agree that one out of six escaping justice is one too many.
9. Michael: 16,000 More prison places have been built since 1997 and more people ARE locked up now.
10. Tough on the causes of crime?
I remember the Tories were in Government, they refused to make it illegal to carry certain knifes. Labour's new laws are tougher on those who carry knifes.
11. Labour banned all hand guns - the Tories refused to. Those who carry guns now face a FIVE YEAR minimum sentence.
Hope everyone enjoys a peaceful, crime free weekend!
In answer to your points, I will try to keep it brief...I will not be held accountable for the record of the Tory Government. Like all Governments, they were too soft on criminals. That doesn't excuse Labour of being useless. I doubt I will vote Tory next time in any case, so don't hold me accountable for policies I didn't support from a party I don't intend to vote for.
1. I don't believe any figures coming from any police force. They have been politicised like at no time in our history. One look at their reaction to the McPherson Report says it all. The BBC?! Don't make me laugh. So no, I don't believe any of your phoney figures.
2. I do think our police are useless. Incompetent, desk-bound, and obsessed by political correctness. Did Blair tell them to lie? Probably yes, since like teachers they are assessed by their results. Hence everyone passes their coursework modules and no one is a victim of crime. Or so the liars would tell you.
3. Don't believe the phoney figures.
4. So what? You changed the way it was counted. You fiddled unemployment so that they all claim disability. No one believes you anyway.
5. If Howard cut police numbers, then shame on him. It doesn't excuse Labour for doing the same. Having more police doing admin at their desks do not help anyone, especially the taxpayer or the victim of crime.
6. How many fewer policemen are there on the front line against crime? Behind desks is no good.
7. Sack them? Absolutely. They are a joke. Most people I know laugh at them. No power to arrest? I bet they terrify the yobs(!). So yes...sack them and give a tax rebate, or hire some proper policemen. "Visibility and reassurance?!"...beyond parody. Only necessary if you have a problem with Law and Order.
8. Too many muggers getting off the hook. Even if they are caught laws do nothing to deter future re-offending.
9. Not enough. FAR more need to be locked up. We should be aiming for a quarter of a million, and many of these people just wouldn't get out. This would cut crime, but you will bleat about "human rights" of criminals, and ignore ordinary decent people whose lives are made a misery.
10. I am not here to defend the Tories. The law on knives is weak. People should go to prison for a long time for simply carrying one in public. End of. Fix it.
11. The ban on handguns is a joke. You only banned decent law abiding people from having handguns, and made the lives of other decent gun owners a misery. The Labour hit squad were keen enough to converge on my 79 yo Grandfathers house, to take his antique shotgun, for some(no doubt contrived) bureaucratic technicality. But you won't go after the criminals. Shame on you. How many legally held handguns were ever used in crime? What has the Government done to tackle ILLEGAL ownership? Nice PR move. End effect of improving decent people's lives: zero. In Labour terms an absolute success.
I also hope everyone enjoys a peaceful, crime free weekend...but it won't be because of anything this bunch of liars in Government has done!
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