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Bradford in Brief

Crime

Changes to the crime recording process

From April 1st 2002, the Home Office introduced National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS). Prior to this date, some crimes may not have been recorded by West Yorkshire Police where there was a lack of credible evidence. The victim's 'belief' that a crime has been committed is now sufficient evidence for it to be recorded as such. Some crime statistics for 2002/3 have been adjusted to account for these changes and to allow for comparisons with previous years.

Changes in crime levels

In the 12 months to March 2003 more than 76,000 crimes were recorded in Bradford District. This represents a 4% increase from the previous year. However, if these figures are adjusted to account for the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS) in April 2002, it is estimated that around 65,560 crimes would have been recorded in Bradford District, an 11% decrease from the previous year. Recorded statistics for the first six months of 2003/4 suggest that total crime is beginning to fall. 38,259 crimes were recorded from April-September 2003. This represents a 4% decrease from the same period in 2002.

The changes in crime recording standards have had an uneven impact on the different categories of crime recorded. In Bradford District, the recording practices for Domestic Burglary and Drugs Offences were not affected; however, the number of Other Theft and Handling Offences has been inflated by an estimated 64%, Violent Offences (excluding burglary) by 43%, Criminal Damage by 26%, and Vehicle Crime by 18%.

For each offence type, the table above shows the number of recorded offences in 2002/3, the percentage change from the number of recorded offences in 2001/2, and the rate per 1,000 population for 2002/3 (the rate of Domestic Burglary is calculated per 1,000 households).

The rise in recorded crime in Bradford District during 2002/3 due to the introduction of NCRS pushed the rate of crime up from 151.2 offences per 1000 population in 2001/2 to 163.9 in 2002/3. Bradford's crime rate was higher than the West Yorkshire average (155.1 per 1000 population), although the county had a greater rise in recorded crime in 2002/3 compared with Bradford District (8% across West Yorkshire, compared with 4% in Bradford).

Over the past five years, the total number of offences recorded in Bradford District has fluctuated. The three years from 1998/9 to 2000/01 saw a downward trend; although this was followed by an increase in the last two years. (It is important to remember that if NCRS had not been introduced in April 2002, there would have been a reduction in recorded crime in 2002/3).

Comparisons with similar local authorities

The Home Office has established a number of "family groups" so that comparisons can be made between "like" authorities. Bradford District falls into the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) Family Group Four, which includes other large Metropolitan Districts like Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester and Sheffield.

For the year 2002/3 the CDRP Group 4 recorded higher levels of crime than England and Wales, which is unsurprising given that it contains the largest metropolitan districts. Bradford recorded slightly higher rates than the family for Domestic Burglary and Vehicle Crime, and lower rates than the family for Robbery and Violent Crime. Due to the introduction of NCRS and the different impact these changes had on individual police areas it is inappropriate to compare the percentage changes of these areas from 2001/2 to 2002/3.

The table above shows the rate per 1,000 population (Domestic Burglary calculated per 1,000 houeholds) of each crime type for Bradford District, and the average rates for CDRP Family Group 4, and England and Wales in 2002/3.

Detection Rates

The detection rate of offences within the District rose 12% in 2001/2 to 14% in 2002/3. The detection rate for Bradford was considerably lower than the rate for England and Wales (24%) and West Yorkshire (20%) during the same period.

Victims, Offenders and Locations

The profile of victims and offenders varied according to the type of crime. In 2002/3, 33% of victims were under the age of 30, compared with 72% of offenders (nearly half of whom were under the age of 21). Although there are broadly similar numbers of male and female victims, 83% of all recorded offenders were male.

Offenders committing crimes within Bradford District also tended to live in the District, with more than a third living on a housing estate with a high proportion of Community Housing Trust (formerly Council-owned) properties. Only 5% of detected offenders gave an address outside the District.

The area with the highest level of recorded crime within Bradford District during April-September 2003 was Bradford City Centre with 2,110 crimes recorded.

The crime recorded within the city and town centres relate both to crimes against businesses and crimes against individuals. The city and town centres cannot be compared with other areas of the District; since the crime rates are calculated on the number of people living in the areas, and this does not reflect the number of people who travel to the city centre each day for work, shopping or leisure.

Unreported Crime

The British Crime Survey of 2002/3 found that a high proportion of crime is not reported to the police, (only 43% of respondents who said they had been victims of crime had contacted the police); and that the real incidence of crime is higher than police statistics indicate (this varies according to the type of crime, with most people reporting vehicle theft or burglary, but few reporting common assault or vandalism).

More information

Bradford District has a Safer Communities Partnership which works to tackle crime, disorder, drugs and alcohol; and ensure that everyone living, working, visiting, shopping or investing in the District benefits from this feeling of added security.

To view a full copy of the Safer Communities Strategy 2002-2005, or for more information about the Safer Communities Partnership visit:

http://www.bradford2020.com/strategies

For more information about West Yorkshire Police:

http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk

This site was last updated on 9th February 2004.