Executive Summary
This report presents a brief overview of the main crime trends in South Wales, analyzing its seasonal vacillations, changes in crime patterns, geographic localization of the crimes and some other data. The primary purpose of this document is providing factual basis for the development of comprehensive and effective anti-crime policies.
Crime Trends in SW
Numbering almost a half of all crimes perpetrated, anti-social behavior is the most popular crime in the community, followed by burglary, violent and vehicle-related crime. Although this neighborhood is often portrayed as one of the safest communities in the country, the fact that the rates of violent crime almost exceeded 10% suggests that strong policing is required to curb the growing trend. The percentage of property-related crimes is rather within the statistically accepted norms. However, the number of arson/criminal damage is undoubtedly above the international average, demonstrating that willful destruction of property is becoming a real problem of this community. A significant portion (almost 22%) of crime remains uncategorized, making a detailed overview of the neighborhood crime patterns impossible.
As far as seasonal fluctuations are concerned, the beginning and middle of spring are the most social dangerous months. March and April are marked by the highest number of crimes perpetrated, with the number of total crimes committed being on two percent higher than during the ‘calmest months’ – December and November (7.26% and 7.51% of all crimes are committed on these months).
Crime occurrence is also higher on summer (9.27% in July and 9.12% in August), followed by a significant reduction in September (7.52%) and resurgence in October (to 8.34%). Thus, it can be reasonably concluded that summer and spring months are more fraught with various crime-related dangers than other months are.
The number of uncategorized ‘other crimes’ is the largest during warm periods of the year, respectively declining from 3992 in January to 209 in September. In the meantime, the number of perpetrated burglaries does not have substantial monthly vacillations. The highest number of burglaries has been committed in March – 909, the lowest was observable in July – 770. Therefore, it can be reasonably inferred that in contrast to uncategorized crimes, burglaries do not correlate with seasonal changes. Despite the fact that the number of burglaries is roughly 10% lower in summer than in winter (2224 against 2473), seasonal change in percentage is not as much significant as it is in the group of ‘other crimes’.
As far as geographical crime patterns are concerned, each region has its own, unique criminological patters. Thus, the number of violent crime is the highest in Easternmost -324866. In Northernmost, the amount of this crime is lower, although a significant one – 213622. The number of anti-social behavior is the highest in Westernmost – 24084 and substantially lower in Southernmost – 165804. This statistics suggests that the both crimes have direct causation with socio-economic indicators of the neighborhoods. Burglaries are also mostly widespread in the East – 324866, almost twice higher than in the South – 16302. In the West and the North the figures are comparatively similar – 24354 and 213552 respectively.
Lastly, the highest number of crimes took place in relative remoteness from the neighborhood centers. Thus, 970 crimes have been committed within 1 km, 314 within 500 m and 102 in a close proximity – within 102 m.
Conclusion
Bibliography
Crime in South Wales Police Authority. (2011). South Wales Crime Statistics Samplings
