THE COST OF CRIME - The TaxPayers' Alliance

2. The cost of crime in each police force area
Multiplying the number of crimes in each category by the estimate of the
average cost per crime in that category provides an estimate of the total cost
of recorded crime in different areas. Table A2 in the appendix shows the
number of crimes in each area broken down by type, while table A3 shows
the total cost of crime for each police force area.
In order to assess the cost of crime per person we have to divide the total
cost of crime for each force by its population. Each force covers a number of
local authorities whose populations are taken from the Office for National
Statistics 2006 mid-year estimates. More recent estimates were available for
England but not for Wales and it seemed preferable to use comparable
population figures. Table A4 in the appendix shows the area that each force
covers and the relevant population estimate.
The total cost of crime in each police force area can then be divided by the
population in that area to establish the cost of crime per person. Table A5 in
the appendix shows the cost of crime per person in each police force area.
A summary of the results is presented below. Table 2 ranks the police forces
by the total cost of crime per person and Figure 2 presents the information,
including the cost of crime breakdown, in graphical form. Figure 3 maps the
amount of crime across the country with areas with a high cost of crime per
person shaded more darkly than those with a low cost of crime, from black
to white. Those forces that did not provide data are shaded in blue.
The figures show:
Recorded crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland cost nearly £15
billion in 2007, equivalent to nearly £275 for every person. Violence
against the person, including murder and serious assault, was responsible
for the highest economic and social costs, at around £155 per person.
Residents of Nottinghamshire suffered from the highest cost of crime, at
£390 per person. It was closely followed by London, at £388 per person,
though that could partly be due to a large number of visitors making
London’s daytime and evening population significantly larger than the
resident population. Humberside had the third highest cost at £380 per
person.
Many, predominantly rural, areas saw a far lower cost of crime. Crime
cost £130 per resident in North Yorkshire, £186 per resident in Dyfed
Powys and £194 per resident in Surrey.
43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com
0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours)
11