UK Killings...

[nigel99 572]

are the lowest in 20 years!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8153392.stm

Interesting that crime is DOWN in a recession, to be honest I would expect it to rise during times of economic turmoil.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[Andy9o8 2]

Seems the rate is a bit higher when one factors-in Scotland's homicides.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=rates+homicides+scotland&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=100&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=&as_qdr=y&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=images

It suggests that it's due to the Scots' high alcohol consumption. Personally, I think it's due to all those crazy Highlanders swinging those swords around.
"There can only be one...."

[CornishChris 5]

It's probably something to do with guns. I was about to post this news story as I had a sneaking suspicion that JR wouldn't as it doesn't paint a horrific picture of a country where it's illegal to carry firearms...

CJP

Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people

[Skyrad 0]

I think one has to factor in advances in emergency medicine over the last 20 years, especially when you consider that attempted murder by knife is actually up by 11%.
One might postulate that more people are surviving stabbings that may have resulted in death in the past.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[nigel99 572]

Quote

It's probably something to do with guns. I was about to post this news story as I had a sneaking suspicion that JR wouldn't as it doesn't paint a horrific picture of a country where it's illegal to carry firearms...

hint - that is the way the title is incomplete

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[nigel99 572]

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I think one has to factor in advances in emergency medicine over the last 20 years, especially when you consider that attempted murder by knife is actually up by 11%.
One might postulate that more people are surviving stabbings that may have resulted in death in the past.

Yes knife crime is a major problem. Ironically our neighbours 16 year old son already has at least 2 offences involving possession of an illegal firearm, and mugging at knifepoint (yesterdays offence was a 98 year old man).

Problem is that we know the "whole" story and so he comes from a family with a history of domestic violence and alcohol and drug abuse - ending 1 family members life early due to a heroin overdose. From about 12 he fell in with a gang - unfortunately he fits the operation Trident stereotype to the letter. It is the oddest thing to watch a kid go from someone you sheltered from his parents 3 to 4 years ago, to a monster who I am literally scared of. His offences are racking up quickly and have recently included assaulting police-officers.

One thing that I do back JR up on though, is that it is the culture and mindset and NOT the weapon. I must admit that I am more than mildly annoyed that my 10 year old son will never have the opportunity to own a swiss army knife and play in the woods with it.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[JohnRich 4]

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are the lowest in 20 years!

1) Same as here in America, and we kept all our guns.
2) Killings continued to climb for five years after your guns were confiscated.
3) Therefore, there is no relationship between gun ownership and murder rates.

And then there are these items from the story:

The Conservatives said it seemed the government was trying to cover up the extent of knife crime by broadening what crimes are included in the category.

Shadow home secretary Chris Huhne said: "Two thirds of all crimes are not being reported. This is surely why the police were able to record a 5% drop in crime while the British Crime Survey recorded an extra half a million offences.

Home Office statistician Dr Chris Kershaw said the fall in killings was "striking" and suggested it could be attributed to improvements in medical science.

The latest annual crime stats do not go into detailed trends on 10 categories of serious violence. Figures for these crimes are currently being reviewed after statisticians last year feared that some police forces were miscounting offences related to grevious bodily harm.

Congratulations on the good trend, but don't think for a minute that confiscating guns from citizens had anything to do with it.

[Skyrad 0]

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but don't think for a minute that confiscating guns from citizens had anything to do with it.

I don't think anyone would genuinly think that was the case. It was not like the US where you can conceal carry and have your firearm laying around the house. Prior to the limited ban people were required to have their firearms under lock and key in a firearm safe secured to a iner wall of the house. So it made no difference to the crime figures. Some weapons were burgled and used in crime but considering the government's lack of investment into the custom service and ease of smuggling firearms into the UK the effect is hardly that significant. The limited handgun ban was simply a kneejerk reaction to media media generated public hysteria.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[humanflite 0]

Crime is not down!
Its SPIN on the figures.

Violent crime is up massively according to a good article I read the other day

[Skyrad 0]

I agree that the figures are so manipulated that you can't really tell much from them with any certainty anymore.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[kallend 2,108]

Quote

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are the lowest in 20 years!

1) Same as here in America, and we kept all our guns.
.

Not according to the FBI. 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005 were lower than 2008.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.