Why violent crime is on the increase

A change to the way crimes are reported inflated some figures

Today's crime figures will leave many scratching their heads. While over all, statistics show the number of crimes is falling, there has been a big increase in violence, particularly in allegations of rape

This morning, Breakfast will be trying to find out why - and what can be done about rising crime rates.

We talked to criminologist Dr Marion Fitzgerald. She believes that rising crime isn't just a figment of our imagination: violence really is on the increase.

The police view: we heard from Depty Chief Constable Ron Hogg, from Cleveland

The government's view: we talked live to the minister for policing, Hazel Blears.

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Today's statistics suggest there has been an increase of 22% in violent crime and a 27% increase in rape, but this is blamed on a change to the way crimes are recorded.

The new National Crime Recording Standard classifies more types of incident as a crime, which in turn has pushed crimes in some categories up.

There has been a sustained fall in robbery which is due to the success of the government's street crime initiative - robbery is down by around 11%.

The average household can now expect to be burgled once in 50 years, the figures are described as 'stable', after several years of falls.

Crime Statistics 2002 to 2003 Violence against the person: up 28% although adjusted figures show a 5% increase Drug offences rose 16% Rape has gone up by a total of 82% since 1997 Homicide up, but figures distorted by Shipman murders

And vehicle crime is also at historic lows after years of decreases. Today's figures show further falls of between 1 and 9%.

As for the overall detection rate of crimes, the situation remains the same as last year so there's no increase or decrease.

The Home Secretary, David Blunkett said that people need to feel like crime has dropped: "The Street Crime Initiative has been a great success leading to significant and sustained reductions in robbery.

"I am very pleased that the police are recording more incidents of low level thuggery and yobbish behaviour.

Crime statistics by region and key offences

In detail

"In March I set out the details of a radical new agenda to tackle this kind of anti-social behaviour and it is vital that the police focus on tackling it and communities signal their intolerance of it."

Mr Blunkett added that changes were being made to improve the efficiency of the police and that were now 'record numbers' of officers on the streets.

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