Drug offences on the rise

By Marc Shoffman • April 27, 2006 - 0:00

Home secretary Charles Clarke expressed a commitment to driving down violent crime

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Offences known to affect the gay community have risen , despite overall crime remaining stable, according to Home Office Figures.

Although the report does not publish whether incidents were homophobic or gay related, violent crime which may include homophobia rose by one per cent and drug offences by 21 per cent.

PinkNews.co.uk reported last week that amongst the gay club scene meth is having drastic consequences. The increased arousal fuels users to completely abandon safe sex whilst involving themselves with multiple partners, many of whom are HIV+.

However the Terrence Higgins Trust yesterday claimed that use is still low.

Police recorded crime figures from October to December 2005 compared with the same period the previous year show total recorded crime is stable.

The figures show a one per cent rise in violent crime, , a three percent rise in sexual offences and six percent more robberies. Domestic burglary was down by four per cent and fraud and forgery dropped by 22 per cent.

Drug offences went up by 21 per cent and other offences also rose by 25 per cent.

A separate British Crime Survey revealed the risk of being a victim of crime (23 per cent) remains at the lowest level since 1981.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke said: "I welcome the fact that the latest crime statistics show that the risk of being a victim of crime remains at the lowest level since 1981 and that overall crime remains stable. I am also encouraged by the fact that violent crime is stabilising, but there is still too much violent crime. While it is true that nearly half of all violent offences involve no injury, they may still be serious and traumatic for the victim.

"That is why we are committed to continuing the progress we have made in recent years in driving down violent crime, including robbery. This rise in recorded offences of robbery needs to be put in context as the figures are still well below those for 2001/02, before the street crime initiative, when robbery was at its height.

"Much of the work we are doing is aimed at tackling not just crime itself, but also perceptions of crime. Anti-social behaviour issues are clearly matters of increasing concern for many people in England and Wales, but as we roll out the measures introduced in the Respect action plan, I am confident that more people will begin to feel safer."

Annual figures from the Metropolitan Police Service last week showed homophobic crimes in London dropped last year.

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