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Overview of Recorded Crimes and Arrests Resulting from Disorder Events in August 2011

NCJ Number
236353
Date Published
October 2011
Length
35 pages
Annotation
The analysis represents an assessment of the extent and nature of disorder events based on information provided by police forces during early September 2011.
Abstract
This report presents an analytical overview of the disorder that occurred in August 2011, drawing principally on data supplied by police forces in the areas where disorder took place. The report focuses on where and when the disorder took place; the types of crimes recorded by the police; and the characteristics of suspects arrested by the police. Results indicate that criminal damage (excluding arson) (31percent) and burglary (32 percent) were the two most common types of crime recorded across the 10 police force areas. Crime records also indicate that the precise nature of the disorder varied across different locations; in three force areas -Metropolitan Police Service, Greater Manchester, and West Midlands - acquisitive crimes were more common than crimes of criminal damage. In all other police force areas, criminal damage offenses were more common than acquisitive crimes. Consistent with the overall profile of crimes, all forces recorded relatively small numbers of violent crimes during the disorder. Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police recorded the highest proportions of violent crimes (13 percent and 10 percent respectively). The most serious violent crimes were limited to the Metropolitan Police Service and West Midlands Police, where a small number of crimes of murder and attempted murder were recorded. Crimes involving criminal damage (to buildings, vehicles or arson offenses) accounted for 36 percent of the total. Crimes of violence against a person were less common, accounting for seven percent of the total. The analysis is based principally on police force data supplied to the Home Office during September 2011along with statistics released separately by the Ministry of Justice on the characteristics of suspects going before the courts. Tables and figures