Website of the UK government

How crime is measured

Crime is measured in two ways:

• the police keep a record of all crimes reported to them
• the government conducts an annual survey of crime victims, called the British Crime survey

Why are both crime measurements needed?

The two methods are needed because police records don’t always give a true picture of crime, because some crimes are never reported. Police estimate that only 40 per cent of all crimes are ever reported.

To fill that gap, the British Crime survey is carried out each year. For that survey, thousands of people are asked about their own experiences with crime. This means that crimes that are never reported to the police are included.

The British Crime survey does not cover commercial crime or so-called ‘victimless’ crimes (such as possession of drugs). Also, because it is a survey of crime victims, it cannot cover murder.

Used together, though, the police records and the annual crime survey form a picture of crime in the country. A combined report is published each year called ‘Crime in England and Wales’.

Find out what's happening with crime

The most recent crime report is ‘Crime in England and Wales 2008-09’. It looks at all the crimes committed that year, and compares crime rates to previous years.

You can read the report online, or download it to your own computer as a PDF.

• Crime in England and Wales 2008-09 Opens new window

• National crime map Opens new window

Crime statistics in your area

All police forces in England and Wales make local crime statistics and crime maps available on their websites, so you can find out what crimes are happening in your own area.

Look for links to ‘crime maps’ or ‘crime statistics’ on the website of the police force in your area. You can find their website by using the link below.

The National Policing Improvement Agency has launched a national crime map that lets you look at crime rates anywhere in the country. Find out what's happening in your town, or anywhere else in England and Wales.

• National crime map Opens new window

• Find a police force, neighbourhood policing team or police authority