Downing Street Says » Crime statistics

Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with the argument that there was a link between the economic downturn and an increase in crime, the PMS said that Jacqui Smith had been talking about the crime stats this morning and made clear that we did not agree with those who said an economic downturn necessarily led to an increase in crime.

Asked about the stats on knife crime, the PMS said that we understood peoples concerns, which was why we were taking action to tackle this issue.

Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with the Lord Chief Justice that there needed to be tougher sentences for perpetrators of domestic burglary, the PMS said that we wanted to do more to help address issues in relation to burglary. Jacqui Smith had been discussing this throughout the morning, and as she said, there was a lot that we could and already were doing to help people. Jacqui Smith would be meeting with the police and others in the next few weeks.

Asked if the Prime Minister was disappointed in the stats relating to knife crime, the PMS said that we had to bear in mind that overall recorded crime was down 3%; violence against a person was down by 6% and the risk of being a victim was at a historically low level. We understood that people were concerned about knife crime, particularly involving young people. That was why we were targeting youth knife crime in particular, in 13 police force areas with the measures that Jacqui Smith had been explaining this morning.

Put that the figures out today suggested that the measures weren t working, the PMS said that it was important to look at what was happening in overall terms, and what was happening overall was that recorded violence against a person and the risk of being a victim were down. We understood the issues and concerns that people had in relation to knife crime and that was why we were stepping up stop and search, with over 2200 knives seized recently. We had seen more offenders go to prison, and for longer, with an extra 7000 places for young people. We understood the concerns and that was why we were stepping up the action.

Asked if the Prime Minister was concerned that the threat of a mandatory prison term for carrying a knife wasn t working, the PMS said that more offenders were going to prison and they were going for, on average, a longer period of time. Individual decisions were a matter for magistrates and the judiciary authorities, however in overall terms we were seeing more offenders going to prison for longer.

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» Thursday, January 22, 2009

Crime statistics

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