Big drop in UK homicide stats

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/21/police-figures-unexpected-drop-crime

651 homicides recorded for the 2008/2009 reporting period. That's 102 down on last year, and a 20 year low.
Overall crime levels down 8% on last year. Naturally, all the news sites with comments are plastered with "I don't believe these!". People only want to hear about crime stats that report increases.

One oddity- sexual offences up 5%. Nobody's sure why.

[BlackCat]

Easily explained. All those cameras you have put up prevents a lot except for the exhibitionists - they have a party

[RGBVideo]

One oddity- sexual offences up 5%. Nobody's sure why.

[DanS]

There have been huge decreases over here as well. ~ 25% drop in homicides last year in D.C. to 143 -- the fewest since 1966. Admittedly, we started with an atrociously high rate in the first place. Nothing like your tranquil shores.

Probably we're getting to be too old to kill each other.

[Cort Haus]

It's because people haven't been able to get to police stations to report crimes because of the snow.

[Snotty]

Too much CSI shows. People know how to get away with it now

[MikeH]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/ja...ted-drop-crime


651 homicides recorded for the 2008/2009 reporting period. That's 102 down on last year, and a 20 year low.
Overall crime levels down 8% on last year. Naturally, all the news sites with comments are plastered with "I don't believe these!". People only want to hear about crime stats that report increases.

One oddity- sexual offences up 5%. Nobody's sure why.

You get an exceptional number of ****s on news site comments!

[Kitschum]

Well, 8% is certainly dramatic. Are there any actual explanations offered except for "hard work from the police"? Does "recorded" translate to "reported", or something else? I'd definitely look at whether there has been a change in how crimes are recorded.

Another thing to note is that comparing year-to-year records is a common fallacy. What you need to look at is lasting trends. Take the chart of knife and gun murders that's in the article for instance. Yes, the last year has seen a big drop, but if you add the last six years and compare them to the earliest five, you'll find that "knife and gun murders" have actually increased by a few %... So, lethal crime is at best stagnating in the UK. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for CCTV fascism (yet anyway).

[MrFun]

(at the OP)

Yes, but did you know about the New York dairy farmer who killed his 51 cows and then killed himself?

[Dauphin]

So, lethal crime is at best stagnating in the UK. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for CCTV fascism (yet anyway).

Is CCTV supposed to help prevent crime, or help solve crime? A stat touted by the Met is that 70% of murders are solved with the assistance for CCTV. I don't know what level the assistance is or whether those crimes would have been solved in their absence.

[Ecthy]

Probably we're getting to be too old to kill each other.

qft

[OzzyKP]

651 murders in London or in the entirety of the UK?

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Another thing to note is that comparing year-to-year records is a common fallacy. What you need to look at is lasting trends. Take the chart of knife and gun murders that's in the article for instance. Yes, the last year has seen a big drop, but if you add the last six years and compare them to the earliest five, you'll find that "knife and gun murders" have actually increased by a few %... So, lethal crime is at best stagnating in the UK. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for CCTV fascism (yet anyway).

Which part of the statement "a 20 year low" confused you?

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

651 murders in London or in the entirety of the UK?

That's for all of England and Wales, so a population in the region of 50 million.

[Heraclitus]

651 murders in London or in the entirety of the UK?

That's for all of England and Wales, so a population in the region of 50 million.

Yeah, Western Europe is weird that way.