Findings from the 2011/12 Crime Survey for England and Wales indicated that 6 out of every 100 adults aged 16 and over experienced a crime against the person in the previous 12 months (5.9%), while 16 out of every 100 households experienced some type of household crime (16.2%) covered by the survey. These prevalence rates were substantially lower than those measured by the CSEW in the mid-1990s.
Young people most likely to be victims of violent crime
The survey found that 3 in every 100 adults had been a victim of some form of violence in the preceding year (3.0%). The likelihood of becoming a victim of violent crime decreased with age, with a much higher proportion of adults aged 16-24 reporting they had been a victim (8.4%) than other age groups, particularly those aged 75 and over (0.2%). Gender comparisons highlighted a similar pattern of victimisation across age groups for both men and women, although the prevalence rate was highest among young men (11.0%).
Those aged 16-24 also more likely to be victims of theft
The survey indicated 2 in every 100 households to have been a victim of domestic burglary (2.4%). However, households with no or less than basic security measures were far more likely to have been burgled (5.8%) than households having even basic home security such as deadlocks and window locks (0.8%).
Age was also a factor. A higher proportion of households with a household reference person (HRP) aged 16-24 had experienced burglary in the preceding 12 months (5.6%) than households where the HRP was aged 65-74 (0.9%), or 75 and over (1.0%). A household’s HRP is the person in whose name the accommodation is owned or rented or, where this is jointly held, the one with the highest income.
The chance of becoming a victim of vehicle-related theft (i.e. the theft or attempted theft of a vehicle or of property within the vehicle) was far higher, with around 1 in 20 households owning vehicles having experienced this crime in the previous 12 months (5.5%). The age of the HRP was again a key factor. Households where the HRP was aged 16-24 were the most likely to have been a victim (8.7%), while households where the HRP was aged 75 and over were the least likely (1.8%).
Survey findings also indicated that almost 1 in 20 households had experienced other household theft offences in the previous 12 months (4.5%), and 3 in every 100 households owning bicycles had become a victim of bicycle theft (3.4%).
In addition, 2 in every 100 adults reported other theft of personal property while away from the home (2.1%), while 1 in 100 adults reported having had something stolen either through snatch or stealth theft (1.3%), with adults aged 16-24 the most likely victims (3.3%).
Vandalism most commonly experienced crime
Vandalism had the highest victimisation rate of all crimes covered by the survey, with around 1 in 20 households having experienced such a crime in the preceding 12 months (5.8%). The likelihood of becoming a victim varied by area characteristics, with a higher chance of victimisation among households in urban (6.2%) as opposed to rural locations (4.2%), and among households in areas with high levels of physical disorder (8.9%) compared with areas where levels of physical disorder were not high (5.7%).
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