Key Data

  • In 2006/07, 438,031 crimes were recorded by police forces in the South West.
  • In 2006/07 the region's recorded crime rate was 86 offences per 1,000 population compared to 100 per 1,000 population in England and Wales as a whole.
  • Recorded crime in the South West region has increased by 1% compared to the previous year and decreased by 6% since 2002/03. In comparison, England and Wales as a whole has decreased by 2% compared to the previous year, and decreased by 9% since 2002/03.
  • The British Crime Survey found no significant changes in the rates of household and personal crime in the South West region compared with the previous year.
  • Avon and Somerset police force area had the highest rate of recorded crime in the region at 105 offences per 1,000 population.
  • In 2006/07, 53% of recorded crime was committed in those local authority areas classified as urban. Only 39% of the region's population live in these urban areas.
  • The recorded crime rate in urban areas in 2006/07 was 119 per 1,000 population, compared to 66 per 1,000 population in rural areas.
  • The areas with the highest rates of recorded crime in 2006/07 in the South West are Bristol at 176 offences per 1,000 population and Gloucester at 138 offences per 1,000 population.
  • The areas with the lowest rates of recorded crime in 2006/07 in the South West are North Dorset at 42 offences per 1,000 population and East Dorset at 43 offences per 1,000 population.
  • The proportion of people perceiving there to be high levels of anti-social behaviour was 13% in the South West in 2006/07 compared to the England and Wales average of 18%.
  • The proportion of people in the South West perceiving there to be high levels of drug use or dealing in their area was 22% in 2006/07 compared to the England and Wales average of 28%.
  • The 2006/07 BCS showed that 11.1% of those living in the South West reported any illicit drug use in the last year, compared to the England and Wales average of 10.0%.
  • 53% of people in the South West thought that the police in their area did an excellent or good job, this was similar to England and Wales as a whole (51%).