MINISTERS IN ROW OVER CRIME RISE FIGURES

The increase in recorded crime for 10 years triggered a row over
"statistical manipulation" last night after ministers disputed that
there had been a rise of any significance.

Police in England and Wales recorded seven per cent more crimes in the
year to March than the previous 12 months. This was the largest
increase since 1992 and included a sharp rise in robberies.

But the Government, backed by Home Office statisticians, said five per
cent of the increase was caused by changes in the way police recorded
the figures. Ministers also relied upon the results of the separate
British Crime Survey, which questioned more than 30,000 people aged
over 16 about their experiences of crime.

This showed a two per cent fall on the year and a 22 per cent
reduction since 1997. Ministers said the chances of someone being a
victim were their lowest for 20 years. David Blunkett, Home Secretary,
welcomed what he called "stable crime figures". He added: "The crimes
that affect most people - burglary and vehicle crime - remain at the
lower levels seen after the significant reductions in recent years."

But Oliver Letwin, shadow home secretary, said: "No amount of
statistical manipulation can conceal what everyone on the estates in
our inner cities already knows - that it is the gangs and the drug
dealers rather than the forces of law and order that are in charge."

He added: "After five years of this Government and 57 initiatives from
the current Home Secretary, we have seen no coherent programme of
action to address the appalling levels of street crime. We need the
police back on our streets, a serious programme to reform the
characters of youth offenders, a serious attack on the gang culture
instead of the muddled policy the Home Secretary is now peddling."

In the figures published officially today, police recorded 5.52
million crimes - 356,239 more than the previous year. Murders were up
four per cent to 886, the highest level ever, and recorded violent
crime rose by 11 per cent. Robbery rose by 28 per cent to more than
121,000 incidents - including a 31 per cent increase in muggings. Most
robberies took place in 10 police force areas.

Sexual offences were up 11 per cent, with 9,000 reports of rapes; drug
offences were seven per cent higher; and recorded burglaries rose by
five per cent to more than 878,000. Theft and handling of stolen goods
were up six per cent; and, while damage to vehicles also rose by 11
per cent, fewer cars were stolen.

Clear up rates remain at historically low levels with only 1.3 million
to the 5.5 million detected - just 23 per cent across the country. In
London, the clear up rate was only 14 per cent.

Paul Wiles, head of research and statistics at the Home Office, said
new recording arrangements used by 14 police forces had artificially
inflated the figures. He said greater reliance should be placed upon
the British Crime Survey, which suggested crime levels had stabilised
after showing a fall for the past seven years.

"The crime survey picture of a society becoming less violent contrasts
with the picture sometimes presented in the press," Prof Wiles said.
He suggested inflated fear was fuelled both by the media and by a
concern over general levels of anti-social behaviour.

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, accepted that
levels of crime were stable and said "consistent trends" in crime
should not be met by scare-mongering. But he said crime was still far
too high. "Street robbery is rising and people living in the 10
robbery 'hotspots' are right to demand more of the police."

A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said: "When
you take into account the new recording standard and the British Crime
Survey results, it's modestly encouraging."

Latest figures coincided with publication of international comparisons
showing that people in England and Wales experienced more crime than
in any of the 39 countries surveyed. The likelihood of becoming a
victim was second only to Australia.