Mike Irwin
Member
From Reuters/Yahoo...
"LONDON (Reuters) - Violent crime rose by 14 percent in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2003, according to Home Office figures.
Offences of violence against the person rose 17 percent from July to September, compared to the year-ago period, and sexual offences increased eight percent.
The Home Office also announced that from Thursday offenders in possession of an illegal firearm would receive a mandatory five-year prison sentence.
Ministers said the figures had been influenced by new methods in the way police record crimes.
The British Crime Survey, also published on Thursday, said that in the year to September crime fell slightly, with violence down three percent. It is based on interviews with people, not police records.
Both measures showed significant falls in burglaries and vehicle crimes.
"Crime overall is stable and I am pleased that volume crimes such as burglary, robbery and vehicle crime, are continuing to fall significantly," Home Office minister Hazel Blears said.
"It is important to put the increases in police recording of violent crime into context. Better police crime recording policies mean that local forces now have a clearer picture of crime in their area."
Ridding Britain's street of crime has become a top priority for the government.
The Conservative's Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said Labour had been "complacent" about crime.
"No amount of Home Office spin can hide the fact that violent crime is soaring," Davis said. "It is outrageously complacent for the Government to say crime is under control."
"LONDON (Reuters) - Violent crime rose by 14 percent in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2003, according to Home Office figures.
Offences of violence against the person rose 17 percent from July to September, compared to the year-ago period, and sexual offences increased eight percent.
The Home Office also announced that from Thursday offenders in possession of an illegal firearm would receive a mandatory five-year prison sentence.
Ministers said the figures had been influenced by new methods in the way police record crimes.
The British Crime Survey, also published on Thursday, said that in the year to September crime fell slightly, with violence down three percent. It is based on interviews with people, not police records.
Both measures showed significant falls in burglaries and vehicle crimes.
"Crime overall is stable and I am pleased that volume crimes such as burglary, robbery and vehicle crime, are continuing to fall significantly," Home Office minister Hazel Blears said.
"It is important to put the increases in police recording of violent crime into context. Better police crime recording policies mean that local forces now have a clearer picture of crime in their area."
Ridding Britain's street of crime has become a top priority for the government.
The Conservative's Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said Labour had been "complacent" about crime.
"No amount of Home Office spin can hide the fact that violent crime is soaring," Davis said. "It is outrageously complacent for the Government to say crime is under control."