Issue 8  21st October 2017

Crime Statistics for England and Wales

The 13% increase in police recorded crime from the previous year reflects a range of factors including continuing improvements to crime recording and genuine increases in some crime categories, especially in those that are well-recorded.

Proposed Life Sentences for Driving Offences

The proposals confirmed today include:

• increasing the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life
• increasing the maximum penalty for causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs from 14 years to life
• creating a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving

Metropolitan Police Crime Assessment Policy Criticised

The Met has been criticised for its new policy on the proportionate response to reports of low-level high-volume crime.

Of course we are not talking about things like homicide, kidnap, sexual offences, hate crime or domestic violence, but the lower level, higher volume offences such as shoplifting, car crime and criminal damage. This is not to say these cases will not be investigated further, however by applying the assessment policy we will be able to determine very quickly if it is proportionate to do so.

With the pressure on our resources it is not practical for our officers to spend a considerable amount of time looking into something where for example, the value of damage or the item stolen is under £50, or the victim is not willing to support a prosecution.

Crimewatch Axed After 33 Years

Crimewatch, one of the BBC's longest-running shows, is being axed after 33 years.

The head of the Metropolitan Police described the programme as "public service broadcasting at its best".

The Police Federation said it was a "shame" that the programme was ending, and that it had shown "the complex side of policing and solve crime".