news: Burglary Rates Soaring

[CarZee]

From the Evening Standard Website:

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/2802691?source=Evening%20Standard

Burglary rates are soaring

Burglary rates in England and Wales have risen sharply since April, official crime statistics are expected to reveal tomorrow.

The disturbing figures will put further pressure on the Government after the Lord Chancellor provoked a storm of protest by insisting it was right to keep firsttime burglars out of jail.

National crime statistics to be published by the Home Office are likely to show the overall crime rate has risen again in England and Wales, in spite of the progress on street robbery in major inner-city areas.

And burglary, which become the focus of debate this week, looks set for a worrying rise, which could top 10 per cent.

Figures seen by the Evening Standard show burglary in London is up by two per cent since April, but in some areas, including Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, there have been monthly increases of more than 30 per cent since the spring as police have shifted resources into combating street robbery.

House burglary fell from a record 641,000 in 1995 to 399,000 in 2000/01 - but rose to 426,000 in the year to March. Tomorrow's figures, which cover the six months from the end of last March, will show another rise.

Criminal justice campaigners are warning the Government's shift towards drugs treatment for burglars instead of short prison terms is in danger of being discredited because ministers have been slow to sell their message to the public, allowing a media backlash to gather pace.

Paul Cavadino, chief executive of the crime reduction charity Nacro, said: "If there has been a sharp rise in burglary since April in some of the more urban areas, then that underlines the case for using the most effective ways of stopping people from burgling.

"If you keep jailing burglars and letting them out without tackling the root causes - like drug addiction - they will carry on burgling. If they are motivated to take advantage of drug treatment programmes, then the evidence shows they are likely to stop burgling."

He added: "It is a sensible and straightforward argument, but the case has to be argued solidly by the Government and put across consistently."

The Government has embarked on the biggest reform of the courts and sentencing for a generation, and Home Office analysts believe a shift in focus from short prison terms to more intensive community sentences could cut reoffending by up to 15 per cent in the long run.

Over recent months, all political parties have backed the broad thrust of reforms that put the emphasis on getting offenders in non-violent crimes off drugs and into work. But the approach is facing a barrage of criticism from sections of the media and groups such as the Right-wing think tank Civitas.

Controversy over burglary began three weeks ago when the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, issued guidance in the Court of Appeal telling judges and magistrates that burglars facing a sentence of up to 18 months should be given community punishments instead.

Ministers were seen to have distanced themselves from his remarks because they were silent on the issue, but the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, prompted a ferocious media attack this week when he said most people supported lenient treatment.

Critics of the Government have used his remarks to portray Labour as soft on crime.

In reality, courts have become progressively harsher on burglars in recent times.

Nearly eight out of 10 convicted house burglars go to jail and sentences-average two years. But with the prison population at record levels, little work is being done to get burglars off drugs, or to change their attitudes, and 56 per cent are reconvicted within two years of release.

The reconviction levels are identical for people given community punishments.

But the Government is committed to toughening up community sentences so there is greater supervision, more use of curfews and, most importantly, a dramatic increase in drug treatment and testing, with the threat of prison for people who do not stay "clean".

At the moment, someone sentenced to 12 months in jail would serve six and get no supervision on release. In future, two-part "Custody Plus" sentences will mean three months in jail followed by six months of supervision, to include drugs treatment where needed.

I wonder if it's too much to hope that Lord Irvine might now consider his earlier assertion as being a mistake.

There's one thing for sure, there's going to be an increase in people arming themselves at home... anyone got a couple of spare golf clubs?

[ultimasimon]

Probably has something to do with the amount of resources being put aside for traffic duty and scamera vans.

Maybe I should give up work and become a burglar, It would seem there's less less chance of getting caught and it doesn't stop you from driving.

[madcop]

I am afraid that NARCO are not as the article states a crime reduction organisation but

'National association for the care and rehabilitation of offenders' (a sort of bleeding hearts club who try to find good in bad people and then get them to change).

Their main aim is not to enhance a reduction in crime but to see that prisoners get all their rights and entitlements when they are incarcerated. The fact that they may turn someone around from errant ways is just a spin off to the benefit of crime reduction.

The big problem with all these statements from Lords and wolves is that they are not in touch with reality. They do not see the distress and grief caused to good people that have been touched by the work of the house breaker. Neither do they really care because it does not touch them personally (something to do with the amount of security around them to prevent personal distress)

The whole recent minimum 5 years jail for carrying a gun, so loudly pronounced by 'tough on crime' labour ministers just goes to show that they are completely out of touch (we won't even go into the territory of judges discretion in the minimum 5 years).

The sort of people that carry these items will not think for one moment that "this will have the potential to see me potted for 5".
They do not care. Those that do so now have even more incentive to use it to avoid capture.

They live in urban jungles where the jungle law is the only one that matters.
What better to have something to maintain your life and lifestyle?
An item that gives you respect and may even protect you from personal attack or give you the oportunity to fight back if an attack is meted on you!

To be caught with this item is unlikely.
In 22 years I have personally caught only 3 people with proper illegally possed firearms. They do not hang onto them if they are compromised by leaving them tucked into the waistband

Once again this legislation will be used to act against the middle Englander that is careless about his renewal on his shotgun certificate or hunting rifle.

It will not affect the Jamaican Yardie either in principle or reality because it is just pie in the sky in the jungle out there!

>> Edited by madcop on Wednesday 8th January 11:16

[Don]

Comments as per flogging.

They do it in Singapore. One of the nicest, safest places I've ever been.

[TJMurphy]

This post reminded me of something I've been meaning to follow up on.
We were burgled at home about 3 years ago. Destroyed the patio windows / kitchen window, made off with a laptop and some jewellery but nothing too bad.
Police came around and checked the place out, dusted for fingerprints (none) etc.
But that was the last I heard about it. Should there have been any later follow up from the police? If they'd found the property I'm sure we'd have been asked to ID it but would we be told anything else? I'm not interested in causing aggro (for police or scrote) but I would love to know if the guy was caught and jailed. Does no news mean crime unsolved, can I just ring up the local copshop with the crime number and get an update?

[anonymous-user]

If people will elect a socialist government.

Tough on crime ....... my arse. This lot don't know if they're coming or going. From Blair's "march em to the cashpoint" plan to this latest fiasco their law and order policy is a shambles.

Britain really does deserve better.

(Pity the tories are so cr*p).

[rich1231]

I have been burgled twice now in the last 5 years at 2 different addresses. The most recent occasion the scroats knocked down a wall to get in my flat. No chance of ever catching them now. Probably known faces, the CID admitted that 95% of the crimes are committed by established burglars with many many convictions. Hmmm lock em all up and most will stop.

[DrSeuss]

TJMurphy said:Does no news mean crime unsolved, can I just ring up the local copshop with the crime number and get an update?

Not worth following up after 3 years IMO. I've been the victim of 2 burglaries, both unsolved. In the first one, the police found fingerprints and a cigarette butt and took them away for examination. After a few days, I got a letter saying your crime number is .... and the officer in charge of your case is ...., and then nothing else.

I tried to phone this officer 3 or 4 times, but each time it was "He's out of the station/off duty at the moment, but he'll call you back" - and of course he never did. I finally got through to one of his colleagues, who basically said "You've got the crime number for your insurance claim - what more do you want?"

Can't say I particularly blame the police though - it must be pretty demoralising for them to know that if they catch the scrote and haul him up in front of the court, he's just going to get let off with a slap on the wrist and do it again...and again...and again...

[swilly]

ultimasimon said: Probably has something to do with the amount of resources being put aside for traffic duty and scamera vans.

Maybe I should give up work and become a burglar, It would seem there's less less chance of getting caught and it doesn't stop you from driving.

Make sure you dont speed away from the crime-scene though because your guaranteed to be caught on speed camera as we all know this government is tough on criminal-drivers. Take it nice and easy at 30mph and the cops wont bother you- even if the swag bag is filling uo the rear seats

[swilly]

paul-b said: If people will elect a socialist government.

Tough on crime ....... my arse. This lot don't know if they're coming or going. From Blair's "march em to the cashpoint" plan to this latest fiasco their law and order policy is a shambles.

Britain really does deserve better.

(Pity the tories are so cr*p).

I'm no socialist, but i wouln't discredit the socialists by associating this labour government with them.
Blair and his pals don't appear to be any particular party.......oh maybe a childrens party then.

[swilly]

Whilst were on the subject, how on earth do they come up with these 'policies' any way. I can not believe that any significant debate goes on between ministers or civil servants before they are announced to the press.
This really looks like 5 minute-off the cuff- policy making to me.W*nkers the lot of em.

[bugmeister]

I personnally favour the threee strikes and it's life mate approach

[JMGS4]

Burglary rates are soaring, now why am I not surprised?????????
'kin labour lying basta**s, speak about being hard on crime but measure them with their own rule and *uck me, doin' nothing, as usual!!!! apart from getting their mouthpieces to spout some Grauniad syphylitic PC shit about the poor crims. Makes me want to start a war against these 'kin lying barstewards... even Saddam doesn't lie as well as Billy Liar!

[Fatboy]

Stop burglars re-offending? Break both their legs. Be bloody difficult to break into a house with both legs in plaster. Might well have a decent deterrent effect.

[CarZee]

JMGS4 said:even Saddam doesn't lie as well as Billy Liar!

Funny you should say that, but I was reading in the Indypedant earlier that security services suspect that this Ricin stuff was due to be used on an assassination attempt on Blair..

I have to confess, it was a number of seconds before "Hope they manage it" was replaced in my thoughts by the obligatory outrage at the fact that it takes terrorist extremists to do what we've wanted doing for 5 years..

[pies]

Here's and intresting piece of info.When the police announce they are cracking down on street crime (i.e mobile phone theft,robbery etc) burglary rates go up.When the police announce they are cracking down on burglery street crime goes up.Two things to say on that 1,dont announce it just do it. 2,we are obviously short of police to enfore the law.

[swilly]

Street crime figures are down because all the scrotes are burglarising your homes whilst tyhe keystone cops tootle round the streets slapping themselves on the back for a job well done.

[anonymous-user]

CarZee said:

JMGS4 said:even Saddam doesn't lie as well as Billy Liar!

Funny you should say that, but I was reading in the Indypedant earlier that security services suspect that this Ricin stuff was due to be used on an assassination attempt on Blair..

I have to confess, it was a number of seconds before "Hope they manage it" was replaced in my thoughts by the obligatory outrage at the fact that it takes terrorist extremists to do what we've wanted doing for 5 years..

[sadoksevoli]

An acquaintance of mine in the Met told me that a memo went round recently stating that crimes to be investigated by CID had to fit in with the Met's priorities and/or involve a factor that was deemed as important. What this meant is that the average law-abiding citizen, probably white, with only a few thousand pounds worth of stealable goods has absolutely no chance of getting a burglary, assault or other misdemeanour investigated, let alone a conviction. So if it's a race hate crime, involves homophobia, is perhaps link to right-wing extremism, or involves someone deemed to be important in the current order of things, then they've got more chance of having their crimes sorted out. I felt sick - the Labour social engineering experiment has coopted the senior police officers into helping to shape their dream society - and we will all simply be inmates in a vast Gulag where we are just numbers. Are we becoming worse than the Soviet Union?

[madcop]

TJMurphy said: Does no news mean crime unsolved, can I just ring up the local copshop with the crime number and get an update?

Usually it does mean iits unsolved but you should have had some information as to what has happened even if the crime has been filed pending further information coming to light.

If you phone the crime desk with the crime number, they should be able to tell you what has happened.