Ah, Maybe This Is Why We're Living In A More Peaceful Uk

[ChillDoubt]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22346971

Given that the claim only a few days ago that the UK Peace Index says we're seeing less crime, am I just being cynical?

The comments section in this link would suggest the story to be utter tosh:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22275280

Is it any wonder that the general public won't even bother and are often dissuaded from reporting in some cases?

[anotheoldgit]

/// Ah, Maybe This Is Why We're Living In A More Peaceful Uk ///

I hate to think what it once was like, here are just four cases this month in Birmingham alone.

29th April

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/75yearold-man-stabbed-to-death-in-birmingham-8596728.html

7th April

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/07/birmingham-bar-stabbing_n_3031600.html

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/two-men-found-gunshot-stab-2525121

4th April

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/two-men-stabbed-argument-outside-2511074

[Gromit]

When me and my friend were beat up the police never even took our statements. They came to the hospital and made appointments to come and take our statements and never turned up or phoned to say they couldn't make it. I phoned them a fortnight later to get a crime number to be told they would not be taking a statement and the case was closed.

[ChillDoubt]

I believe I heard that two 15 year olds had been shot in the legs last night in Merseyside, something of an ongoing spate.

No one hardly ever got shot when I was a kid, only the odd one or two by Special Branch!

[youngmafbog]

Gromit, you should have escalated it, if necessary to your MP. The Police are obliged to give you a crime reference number I believe, especially if you have any claims to make from insurance etc.

[LazyGun]

Any set of figures is reliant upon the quality of the data sets used.

Certainly this Index could be skewed if many violent crimes were going unreported - if the public, through apathy or fear- decided to say nothing. It would also be a serious cause for concern if the Police are actively attempting to discourage people from reporting a crime, simply to save time and effort on their part, as at least one of the comments in the article suggests.

But the content of the article you link to suggests something different, unless I have read it wrongly. It is saying that there are concerns over how some of the reported violent crimes are being dealt with - note; they will form part of the data sets being used to generate the index - it is just that this idea of "restorative justice" - a measure that may be appropriate for minor or petty crimes - is being used inappropriately.

[naomi24]

Chilled, //No one hardly ever got shot when I was a kid, //

Ooooo ... you're playing with fire there! Soon you'll have all the people who weren't there when you were a kid coming along to tell you you're wrong and your memory's failing. ;o)

[ummmm]

I've seen lots of violent crime over the years, mostly between people that are known to each other, and you don't grass.

[AB Editor]

I always think that there is a duty to wider society, if not the victim directly. Why should anyone get away with assault?

For example, the assailant in the video here got off completely free:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316501/White-van-man-beat-cyclist-let-police-road-rage-attack-caught-victims-helmetcam.html

I would want him off the streets myself.

[jim360]

I did think that claims we were living in a "more peaceful society than ever" were as likely to be right as AOG's "it's just got worse and worse". More likely that there has been a downwards trend that is going some way to counteract the rise in violent crime that started in c.1970.

[ichkeria]

Surprise, surprise. Surely that kind of proves the point, doesn' t it - i.e. that popular conception may be of touch with reality.

Here are ten more alleged myths about the UK, which various writers in the Times attempted to counter, more or less successfully, in a recent article (which I don't imagine I can link to here because of the paywall)

1. Drug use and binge drinking are out of control
2. Britain’s countryside is being eaten up by concrete
3 Britain is running out of fossil fuels
4 We are a nation of homeowners
5 Welfare goes to “shirkers”
6 Britain is becoming more racially segregated
7 Britain is a very unequal society
8 Our taxes are being frittered on the arts
9 This is another 1930s depression
10 We don’t make anything any more

[Gromit]

Thanks ymf,

Just to clarify, they did give me a crime number but when I asked if they were going to take our statements, they said they were not bothering to investigate further.

[jno]

ichkeria, here's a Guardian equivalent, visible to all

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/24/10-great-urban-myths-debunked?INTCMP=SRCH

[ichkeria]

Thanks jno.
"You're never more than 6ft from a rat" is one I'd not come across before (!)

[Orderlimit]

The recording of crime is very heavily manipulated by police forces and is far from accurate of what really goes on.

Complainants should always challenge reasons for police not investigating reports of crime and ask to see any crime report created / or complain to the force so it can be reviewed.

[jno]

statistically, the new figures don't tell us anything: unless we know what the proportion of unrecorded crime was 10/20/50 years ago, we can't say if things are better or worse.

Personally, I don't think crimes of serious violence should be treated this way.

[brionon]

AND -the prison population has doubled in the last 10 years-less crooks on the streets -less crimes ?

[brionon]

Should have said 'Fewer'.