Crime down 9% in England, Wales in year ending in March

Crime in England and Wales fell by 9 percent for the year ending in March, the Crime Survey for England and Wales indicated Thursday, the lowest since 1981. The survey found there were 8.6 million crimes in England and Wales, representing less than half its peak level in 1995 and the lowest level since the survey began 32 years ago. "These statistics show that our police reforms are continuing to deliver results across the country with falls in crime in every police force in England and Wales," Home Secretary Theresa May said in a statement. The independent Office for National Statistics survey "shows that the public's experience of crime is at its lowest level since records began," May said. "This is a significant achievement." She praised police for their ability "to rise to the challenge of making savings while still cutting crime." Home Office figures, also released Thursday, indicated there are 14,186 fewer police officers now than when the coalition government took office in March 2010, The Guardian reported. The number of full-time police officers was 129,584 in March 2013, a reduction in force of 4,516 in the past year and the third straight year of reduced personnel. The Crime Survey for England and Wales said police recorded 3.7 million offenses in the year ending March 2013, a drop of 7 percent in a year-over-year comparison. Victim-based crime accounted for 83 percent of all police-recorded crime, a decrease of 9 percent for the year ending March 2013 compared with the previous year, the survey indicated. Other crimes against society recorded by the police were down 10 percent compared with the previous year.