Home Office figures reveal rise in drug-related crime
Overall crime rates fell seven per cent over the last year, but drug offences increased according to the British Crime Survey (BCS).
The Home Office figures – based on crime statistics recorded by the police – show the risk of being a victim of crime remained stable.
Vandalism over the year rose five per cent and violent crime was up one per cent.
Recorded theft from the person fell 12 per cent.
Over the three months to June, falls in crime were reported for violent crime (eight per cent), domestic burglary (three per cent) and offences against vehicles (12 per cent).
However, there was a 14 per cent rise in drug offences over the three months.
Over the last year, there were 9,712 firearm offences – a fall of six per cent – although those resulting in fatal injury increased.
The survey also reveals public confidence in the criminal justice system fell – while confidence in the police was stable.
Home Office minister Tony McNulty said: “I am encouraged that the BCS shows stability after historic falls, and the police figures show that total recorded crime is down by seven per cent.
“Reductions in violence against the person, domestic burglary and criminal damage all point to significant progress.”
Conservative shadow home secretary, David Davis, has charged the government with not taking enough action to stem drug crime.
“Over a decade ago Gordon Brown coined the phrase ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’. Drug abuse is one of the major causes of crime and these statistics show Labour have patently failed to deliver on their rhetoric,” he said.
“Drug abuse is not an isolated crime – it destroys lives, wrecks communities, fuels other crime and is a major cause of our broken society.
“Spiralling drug abuse is a result of a shambolic and failed policy which needs putting right. Labour, however, are part of the problem, not the solution.”
Mr Davis said the Conservative party would reclassify cannabis and create a UK border police to stop drugs coming into the country.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said ministers should treat the crime falls as a victory.
“No doubt ministers will find something in these statistics to crow about,” he said.
“However, the truth is that people feel far less safe in their own communities than they should, and certain key offences such as drug-related crime are still going up.
“This is the depressing legacy of the government’s tough-talking populism on crime. What people care about is not whether politicians sound tough, but whether they have the smart ideas needed to cut offending.”
