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| Killings are lowest in 20 years | Killings are lowest in 20 years |
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| The number of murders and manslaughters has dropped by 17% to a 20-year low, the annual crime figures for England and Wales show. | |
| There were 136 fewer killings in 2008/9 compared with a year earlier, according to the Home Office figures. | |
| Theft-related crime has risen in the last year, with domestic burglary up by 1% and shoplifting rising by 10%. | Theft-related crime has risen in the last year, with domestic burglary up by 1% and shoplifting rising by 10%. |
| But overall crime is down by 5% and violent crime has fallen by 6%, and gun crime has seen a 17% fall. | But overall crime is down by 5% and violent crime has fallen by 6%, and gun crime has seen a 17% fall. |
| The number of attempted murders is also down 7%, but attempted murders with knives is up 11%. | The number of attempted murders is also down 7%, but attempted murders with knives is up 11%. |
| Other violent offences were up, however, including a 5% increase in the number of women raped to 12,165. | Other violent offences were up, however, including a 5% increase in the number of women raped to 12,165. |
| READ THE REPORT | READ THE REPORT |
| British Crime Survey, England & Wales 2008/09 (1.2Mb) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you might need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. | British Crime Survey, England & Wales 2008/09 (1.2Mb) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you might need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
| Download the reader here | Download the reader here |
| Police recorded 284,000 domestic burglaries - the first increase in six years. | Police recorded 284,000 domestic burglaries - the first increase in six years. |
| The British Crime Survey suggests the risk of being a victim of crime has risen from 22% to 23%. | The British Crime Survey suggests the risk of being a victim of crime has risen from 22% to 23%. |
| The survey, which asks a sample of adults what their experiences of crime have been, shows theft from the person - handbag snatches or pickpocketing - has seen a rise of 25%. | The survey, which asks a sample of adults what their experiences of crime have been, shows theft from the person - handbag snatches or pickpocketing - has seen a rise of 25%. |
| But BBC Home Affairs correspondent Andy Tighe said the survey showed overall crime and robbery appeared to be stable. | But BBC Home Affairs correspondent Andy Tighe said the survey showed overall crime and robbery appeared to be stable. |
| The annual crime figures are comprised of results from the British Crime Survey and crimes recorded by the police for the 12 months up to March 2009. | The annual crime figures are comprised of results from the British Crime Survey and crimes recorded by the police for the 12 months up to March 2009. |
| Home Secretary Alan Johnson said the figures were "encouraging." | Home Secretary Alan Johnson said the figures were "encouraging." |
| "But we are not complacent. As in previous years we see changing patterns of crime and we know that during economic downturns certain crimes face upward pressure, which is why we've already taken action to tackle these head-on. | "But we are not complacent. As in previous years we see changing patterns of crime and we know that during economic downturns certain crimes face upward pressure, which is why we've already taken action to tackle these head-on. |
| "Of course statistics are only part of the picture and offer no comfort to victims which is why it is encouraging that confidence at a local level is rising with nearly half of people saying they feel the police and local agencies are dealing with antisocial behaviour and crime in their area." | "Of course statistics are only part of the picture and offer no comfort to victims which is why it is encouraging that confidence at a local level is rising with nearly half of people saying they feel the police and local agencies are dealing with antisocial behaviour and crime in their area." |
| TEENAGE DEATHS Teenagers violently killed in the UK since January 2008 | TEENAGE DEATHS Teenagers violently killed in the UK since January 2008 |
| The Conservatives said it seemed the government was trying to cover up the extent of knife crime by broadening what crimes are included in the category. | The Conservatives said it seemed the government was trying to cover up the extent of knife crime by broadening what crimes are included in the category. |
| Shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling, said: "It looks like the government is trying to cover up the scale of the problem we face with knife crime, little wonder given its policies have failed to get to grips with the challenge. | Shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling, said: "It looks like the government is trying to cover up the scale of the problem we face with knife crime, little wonder given its policies have failed to get to grips with the challenge. |
| "Massaging the figures on knife crime twice in two years is just an insult to the families of those who have been tragically murdered in knife attacks and who are campaigning for real action to get knives off our streets." | "Massaging the figures on knife crime twice in two years is just an insult to the families of those who have been tragically murdered in knife attacks and who are campaigning for real action to get knives off our streets." |
| Home Office statistician Dr Chris Kershaw said the fall in killings was "striking" and suggested it could be attributed to improvements in medical science. | Home Office statistician Dr Chris Kershaw said the fall in killings was "striking" and suggested it could be attributed to improvements in medical science. |
| "It's certainly very striking and I don't describe it as a blip," he said. | "It's certainly very striking and I don't describe it as a blip," he said. |
| The latest annual crime stats do not go into detailed trends on 10 categories of serious violence. | The latest annual crime stats do not go into detailed trends on 10 categories of serious violence. |
| Figures for these crimes are currently being reviewed after statisticians last year feared that some police forces were miscounting offences related to grevious bodily harm. | Figures for these crimes are currently being reviewed after statisticians last year feared that some police forces were miscounting offences related to grevious bodily harm. |