The police recorded 5.1 million notifiable offenses in 1998-99, a decline of 1.4 percent over 1997-98. However, the number of reportable offenses recorded by the police per 100,000 population has increased from 5,200 in 1978 to 9.800 in 1998-99. Property crimes accounted for 84 percent of the total in 1998-99. Burglary declined by 4 percent and vehicle crime by 2 percent in 1998-99, compared with 13 and 14 percent respectively in 1997. Violent crimes declined by 6 percent in 1998-99, compared with an increase of 1 percent in 1998. The police reports included 748 homicides. The proportion of all reportable offenses in which guns were reportedly used remained at 0.3 percent, although the number of firearms offenses increased. Data from the 1998 British Crime Survey suggest that the police receive reports of less than half of all offenses. The clearance rate was 29 percent in 1998-99, little change from a year earlier. Figures, tables, and appended background information