Statistics have turned the UK into the most crime-ridden country in Europe
According to the latest statistics from the European Commission, since Labour came to power in the UK, the number of murders, robberies, armed assaults, and sex crimes has risen by 77%. The total registered number of violent crimes, relative to the population, is much higher in England than in any other European country, and exceeds similar rates in America, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.
The European Commission's statistics include crime data from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Opposition leaders claim that such results will be a "guilty verdict" for a government that has failed to address deep-seated social problems.
In 2007, there were 927 murders in the UK, more than in any other EU country, and in relative terms, it is higher than in neighboring Western European countries – France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
The recorded number of robberies was also the highest in the EU. The UK also leads in the number of burglaries (in absolute terms), which is twice that of Germany and France.
In total, 5.4 million crimes were committed in the UK in 2007 – about 10 crimes per minute. Only Sweden surpassed England in this indicator.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling believes this is an indication of the government's inability over more than a decade to address deeply rooted social problems in society.
"The response has been an increase in crime and anti-social behavior," he said. "We are already on our fourth Home Secretary, and we are still discussing the same proposals that were previously shelved. Today, more than ever, Britain needs a change of course."
The figures were released by Eurostat, the statistical database of the European Commission. They are compiled using official sources in the respective countries, such as data from national statistical offices, national prison administrations, interior or justice ministries, and police.
The statistics showed that the number of violent crimes in the UK increased from 652,974 in 1998 to more than 1.15 million in 2007. This means that for every 100,000 residents, there are over 2,000 crimes, making the country the most crime-ridden in Europe.
Austria is in second place, with 1,677 crimes per 100,000 residents. It is followed by Sweden, Belgium, Finland, and the Netherlands. For comparison, in the US there are 466 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
In 2007, 324,765 crimes were recorded in France – a 67% increase compared to the previous decade. There are 504 crimes per 100,000 residents.
The UK Home Office claims that the number of violent crimes has consistently decreased over the past 10 years. However, last October it emerged that for more than 10 years, the crime rate in England and Wales had been underestimated due to a serious error in crime recording.
Ministers admitted that in some police units, grievous bodily harm was not considered a violent crime. When these were included in the existing figures, the total number of such crimes immediately increased.
In May, separate figures were published showing that the number of hospitalized citizens with injuries sustained in street fights or attacks had risen by 50% over the past five years.
Last year in England, more than 20 people per day were taken to hospitals after being run over, bruised, bitten, or hit. In half of all cases, the injuries were caused by alcohol, which once again raises doubts about the wisdom of allowing round-the-clock alcohol sales.
However, researchers note that crime data from different countries can only be compared with a certain degree of caution due to differences in criminal justice systems and crime recording.
A spokesman for the British Home Office considers these figures implausible. "Crime statistics from police data in different countries simply cannot be compared because many factors influence the numbers," he said. "For example, in some countries, cases that we characterize as violent crimes are counted as violent offenses."
The number of violent crimes in England and Wales has fallen by nearly half since the peak in 1995, but we are not resting on our laurels and know that much remains to be done."
Richard Edwards.
Translation by Gzt.ru