Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Criminal damage refers to crimes where a person intentionally or recklessly destroys or causes damage to another person's property. Criminal damage, often referred to as vandalism, includes graffiti, arson and other forms of damage to property, including vehicles.

It accounts for just over a quarter of all British Crime Survey (BCS) offences, and just over a fifth of recorded crime. Criminal damage is frequently seen as a minor crime, but neglected physical environments are unsafe, cause fear and undermine pride in the local community. Criminal damage can also be seen as a catalyst to other forms of anti-social behaviour and crime.

As part of a target to reduce overall crime, the Home Office is working with partners to identify ways to tackle criminal damage. This site provides information about criminal damage for the public, Local Authorities, community groups, Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinators and other agencies who are addressing criminal damage.

According to the latest crime statistics, levels of criminal damage are now falling nationally.

• We are in the process of updating the stats used across our web pages; to see the full crime stats in the mean time please click here.
• In head line terms, criminal damage as measured by the BCS fell 10% since last year’s survey. This is the first annual fall since BCS methods changed on 2001/02.
• Levels of police recorded crime, which cover a wider range of victims, have also fallen. Levels of repeat victimisation, and of racially aggravated crimes, are also down.
• Another interesting finding is that the proportion of crimes reported to the police has risen. We hope to look into and understand this more, but it may be a reflection of the fact that police and other agencies are seen to be taking the crime more seriously.
• To visit our updated ‘facts and figures’ site click here

Last update: Thursday, July 31, 2008