Has crime really dropped in Bristol?
The city of Bristol has always been quite high up the rankings for crime levels in the UK, but new reports by the Avon and Somerset police force suggest that it is gradually improving. There have been some significant drops in the rates of drug offenses, house crime and also an increased percentage of solved crimes, making it a vastly improved city all the way around. Many people in Bristol are feeling the benefits of this reduction in crime, but it is at least in part due to increased security and other drives conducted by the police.
Bristol and drug-related crimes
One of the most serious problems in Bristol concerned the rise of drug-related crimes and offenses. In 2008, studies showed that the majority of ‘impact’ crimes, those which leave a mental mark upon the victim, were connected to drugs and alcohol. In that year, the Chief Superintendent of Avon and Somerset police started action designed to help curb these crimes. Since that initiative began, it has been shown that drug offences have fallen by around 2%, and the overall rate of crimes across all classifications also fell.
Bristol and other offenses
Alongside direct drug-related offenses, there has also been a significant drop in the number of house and vehicle burglaries, which are often connected to drug crime and have been shown to be reduced when drug offenders are targeted. Non-drug related crimes, particularly violent and sexual crimes, were also mostly on the decrease, although complaints of sexual offenses rose by around 2%, and may be connected with a general push for more reports in that area. Rapes, one of the most serious sexual offenses, rose by over 7%, suggesting that this one notable rise among crimes in Bristol is related to increased pressure to report both historical and current crimes.
Changing criminals in Bristol
The actions of the Bristol police in preventing drug offenders from committing further crimes has been seen as a great success. This targeting method involved the collaboration with a number of different services, including the Bristol Drugs Project and the prison service, alongside youth offending programs that aim to prevent people from committing crimes while they are still young. Another reason for the decrease is the active use of better security in the area, so that thieves and criminals are deterred from committing offenses. This has certainly contributed to the fall in the overall crime figures.
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