Crime And Reason
‘DO you think crime is rising, stable or falling? Take your time; this is a hard one to answer correctly. It may even be against the law to get it wrong.
| ”It was the one on the right – I’d recognise that arse anywhere” |
Time’s up! How did you do? Well done, all you who correctly said ”falling”.
According to the published police records of offences recorded by the 43 forces in England and Wales, overall crime fell by 6% over the 12 months to September 2004.
This cause for celebration is bolstered by the other news, also found in the Times, that in the view of the British Crime and Justice Survey – which interviews 40,000 people about their experiences of crime – crime has fallen by 11%.
But before you get out the alcopops and smash up some once-quiet market town, congratulations also to those of you who said crime is on the up.
For, over the same period, there has been a 6% rise in violent crime recorded by the police.
And this is important because jug-eared Home Secretary Charles Clarke says it is.
”Violent crime is still the biggest challenge,” says he. ”It will be my major No.1 priority to drive down violent crime.”
He then makes the link between headline-making violent crime and the all-consuming drinking culture that blights our towns and cities.
Clarke vows to ”hammer alcohol-related crime”. This, he says, is a ”major issue”.
What role booze plays in crime, however, is a cause for further study.
The Guardian says the police’s recorded crime sheet also shows a 22% rise in sexual offences, a 12% rise in offences against the person involving injury and a 5% rise in gun crime.
The guns are bad, the assaults are damaging but, although sex crimes are abhorrent, their rise can be put down to increased reporting and the reappraisal of what constitutes a sex crime.
For instance, flashing, mooning and streaking are all now classed as sex crimes.
As the Times reminds readers, they used to be public order offences but nowadays exposing yourself is a violent activity – especially if you get caught in your zipper…’
Posted: 26th, January 2005 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
