Figures released last week reveal that recorded crime in England and Wales has fallen by 6% on the previous year, continuing the downward trend seen since 2004/5.
A government spokesman said that these figures mean you have the lowest chance of being a victim of crime since the annual Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) began in 1981.
You can explore some of the data from the 2012 survey below
The latest figures show that there was a 6% decrease in overall crime against adults compared to the previous year, but after a ‘fairly flat trend’ in recent years, statisticians said it is too early to say is this is evidence of an emerging downward trend.
Crimes recorded by the police also fell by 6%.
All of the main crime categories showed a decrease on the previous year, with the only sub-category to show an increase being theft from a person – up 6%.
Crime Prevention Minister Jeremy Browne said: “Crime is falling. I want people to be safe and secure and this is very welcome news.
“Chief constables are rising to the challenge of making efficiency savings and providing greater value for money. As Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary has said, “the front line is being protected”.
“Police reform is working. We have swept away central targets and reduced police bureaucracy. This shows that how the police are deployed, rather than their absolute numbers, is what is key to cutting crime.”
Explore data showing overall crime recorded by the police, broken down by region and offence type, in the tables below:
