ALL CRIME - Long-term national recorded crime trend

Source: Research Development and Statistics (CRCSG) Home Office

• Overall, there were 5,556,513 offences recorded in England and Wales in 2005/06.  This represents a fall of one per cent over the previous year.
• Numbers of recorded crimes are affected by changes in reporting and recording practices.  In April 1998, certain new offences e.g. common assault, possession of a weapon, assault on a constable and harassment, were added to the recorded crime series. It is not therefore possible to draw direct comparisons between offences recorded before and after that date.
• The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced nationally in April 2002. The national impact in 2002/03 was estimated to be ten per cent for all recorded crime.  The chart above does not take account of the NCRS impact.
• Data for the British Transport Police are included from 2002/03 onwards.