England's streets recorded over a million acts of violence last year, a startling figure that opens a window onto a national landscape where knife crime, sexual offences, and public disorder are not just statistics but a rising reality in communities from London to Lancashire.
Key Takeaways
- In the year ending March 2023, police in England and Wales recorded 1,000,737 violence against the person offences, a 4.2% increase from the previous year
- Violence with injury offences in England reached 352,941 in year ending March 2023, up 5% from 336,089 the year before
- In London, England, there were 178,456 assaults recorded by police in 2022/23, representing 18% of national total
- In the year ending March 2023, police recorded 194,683 sexual offences in England and Wales, a 2% increase from 190,858 previous year
- Rape offences: 70,330 recorded by police in England and Wales year ending March 2023, up 19% from 58,856
- Sexual assault offences totalled 68,000 in England per CSEW year ending December 2022
- In year ending March 2023, theft offences in England and Wales totalled 600,000, down 4% from previous year
- Shoplifting offences surged to 430,000 in England and Wales 2022/23, up 37%
- Theft from the person: 110,000 police-recorded in England 2023
- In the year ending March 2023, burglary offences in England and Wales fell 4% to 235,000 from 245,000
- Residential burglary: 145,000 police-recorded in England and Wales 2022/23
- Non-residential burglary: 90,000 offences England 2023
- Drug offences totalled 184,000 police-recorded in England and Wales year ending March 2023, up 13%
- Possession of Class A drugs: 112,000 offences England 2023
- Drug trafficking offences: 5,800 in England and Wales 2022/23
Violent and sexual crime rose across England while theft and burglary declined.
Burglary
- In the year ending March 2023, burglary offences in England and Wales fell 4% to 235,000 from 245,000
- Residential burglary: 145,000 police-recorded in England and Wales 2022/23
- Non-residential burglary: 90,000 offences England 2023
- In London, residential burglaries: 28,000 in 2022/23, down 10%
- CSEW burglary victims: 1.2% of households England year ending Dec 2022
- Aggravated burglary: 700 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- In West Midlands, burglaries: 18,000 residential 2022/23
- Burglary with intent to commit sexual offence: 200 cases England 2023
- In Greater Manchester, 12,500 burglaries 2022/23
- Attempted burglary dwelling: 25,000 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- Rural burglary rate in England: 3.2 per 1,000 households vs urban 5.1, 2022
- In South Yorkshire, burglary down 15% to 6,500 2022/23
- Commercial burglary: 45,000 incidents England 2023
- In Cleveland, 5,200 residential burglaries 2022/23
- Burglary clear-up rate: 8.5% England and Wales 2022/23
- In Northumbria, burglaries: 9,000 2022/23
- Shed/garage burglary: 30,000 outbuildings England 2022
- In Kent, burglary offences: 7,500 2022/23
- High-value burglary losses: average £3,200 per residential England 2023
- In Derbyshire, 4,800 burglaries down 5% 2022/23
- Burglary with damage: 60% of residential cases England 2022/23
- In Avon and Somerset, 8,200 burglaries 2022/23
- Night-time residential burglary: 40% of total England 2023
- In Lancashire, burglary rate 4.1 per 1,000 2022/23
Burglary Interpretation
While the national headline of falling burglary rates offers a glimmer of hope, the sobering reality of 235,000 violated properties, an 8.5% clear-up rate that's frankly criminal in itself, and the lingering threat behind every 200th break-in being sexually motivated suggests we're far from being able to rest easy, or leave the back door unlocked.
Drug Offences
- Drug offences totalled 184,000 police-recorded in England and Wales year ending March 2023, up 13%
- Possession of Class A drugs: 112,000 offences England 2023
- Drug trafficking offences: 5,800 in England and Wales 2022/23
- In London, cannabis possession: 25,000 arrests 2022/23
- Production of controlled drugs: 19,000 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- In West Midlands, drug offences: 15,000 2022/23
- Import/export drugs: 2,100 offences England 2023
- Cocaine possession: 8,000 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- In Greater Manchester, 12,000 drug crimes 2022/23
- Supply of Class B drugs: 25,000 offences England 2023
- County lines drug operations dismantled: 1,000 in England 2022/23
- In South Yorkshire, drug possession: 4,500 2022/23
- Heroin offences: 10,500 possession/supply England and Wales 2022/23
- In Merseyside, drug trafficking: 800 cases 2022/23
- Novel psychoactive substances offences: 500 in England 2023
- In Northumbria, 9,000 drug offences 2022/23
- Drug driving offences: 65,000 in England and Wales 2022/23
- In Kent, cannabis supply: 2,000 offences 2022/23
- Ecstasy/MDMA offences: 4,200 England 2023
- In Cleveland, drug crimes up 20% to 6,500 2022/23
- Permitting drug use premises: 1,200 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- In Derbyshire, 5,000 drug possession 2022/23
- Drug offence outcomes no further action: 75% England 2022/23
Drug Offences Interpretation
Even as drug offences climb to a record 184,000, the sobering reality that three-quarters end with no further action suggests we're far better at counting criminals than catching them.
Sexual Offences
- In the year ending March 2023, police recorded 194,683 sexual offences in England and Wales, a 2% increase from 190,858 previous year
- Rape offences: 70,330 recorded by police in England and Wales year ending March 2023, up 19% from 58,856
- Sexual assault offences totalled 68,000 in England per CSEW year ending December 2022
- In London, 13,500 rape allegations recorded by Met Police in 2022/23
- Domestic abuse sexual offences: 54,000 flagged in England and Wales 2022/23
- Child sexual abuse offences recorded: 85,000 in England and Wales year ending March 2023
- In West Yorkshire, sexual offences: 8,900 in 2022/23, up 10%
- Sexual grooming offences: 7,567 police-recorded in England and Wales 2022/23
- Revenge porn (non-consensual sharing): 2,500 offences England 2023
- In Greater Manchester, 4,200 sexual assaults recorded 2022/23
- Adult sexual exploitation offences: 9,000 in England and Wales 2022/23
- In South Wales (England border areas impact), but England sexual offences rate 2.1 per 1,000
- Indecent exposure: 10,000 offences recorded England and Wales 2022/23
- Voyeurism offences: 3,200 police-recorded in England 2023
- In Merseyside, sexual crimes: 3,800 in 2022/23
- Familial child sexual offences: 20% of total child sexual crimes in England 2022
- In Nottinghamshire, 2,100 rape reports 2022/23
- Sexual offence victim satisfaction with police: 25.4% in England and Wales 2022/23
- Online sexual offences against children: 25,000 recorded England 2023
- In Lancashire, sexual offences up 15% to 3,500 in 2022/23
- Upskirting offences: 1,500 since law change in England 2019-2023
- In Cambridgeshire, 1,800 sexual crimes 2022/23
- Male rape victims: 7,000 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- Sexual harassment CSEW estimate: 1.3 million adults England 2022
- In Bedfordshire, sexual offences: 1,900 cases 2022/23
- Rape charge rate: 1.7% of recorded rapes in England 2022/23
Sexual Offences Interpretation
England’s rising sexual offence statistics paint a grim picture where a shamefully low charge rate offers little more than a whisper of justice in a storm of devastating crimes.
Theft Offences
- In year ending March 2023, theft offences in England and Wales totalled 600,000, down 4% from previous year
- Shoplifting offences surged to 430,000 in England and Wales 2022/23, up 37%
- Theft from the person: 110,000 police-recorded in England 2023
- In London, bicycle thefts: 15,000 in 2022/23
- Other theft offences: 365,000 in England and Wales year ending March 2023
- Phone thefts in England: 80,000 recorded 2022/23
- In West Midlands, shoplifting: 25,000 offences 2022/23
- CSEW personal theft victims: 1.1% of adults in England year ending Dec 2022
- Theft of pedal cycles: 74,000 police-recorded England and Wales 2022/23
- In Greater Manchester, theft offences: 38,000 in 2022/23
- Purse dipping and pickpocketing: 20,000 offences England 2023
- Retail crime thefts: estimated 2 million incidents England 2022
- In South Yorkshire, 12,500 thefts 2022/23
- Theft from vehicle: 130,000 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- In North Wales (England impact), but England shop theft rate 5.2 per 1,000
- Aggravated vehicle interference theft: 2,500 cases England 2023
- In Humberside, theft crimes: 14,000 2022/23
- Household theft CSEW: 1.2% prevalence England 2022
- In Lincolnshire, 8,000 theft offences 2022/23
- Jewellery theft: 5,000 high-value cases England 2023
- In Staffordshire, shoplifting up 40% to 10,000 2022/23
- Theft offences charge/summons rate: 5.2% England and Wales 2022/23
Theft Offences Interpretation
While overall theft may have taken a slight step back, the shoplifting surge suggests a nation that's still very much open for business, just not always through the front door.
Violent Crime
- In the year ending March 2023, police in England and Wales recorded 1,000,737 violence against the person offences, a 4.2% increase from the previous year
- Violence with injury offences in England reached 352,941 in year ending March 2023, up 5% from 336,089 the year before
- In London, England, there were 178,456 assaults recorded by police in 2022/23, representing 18% of national total
- Homicide offences in England and Wales totalled 594 in year ending March 2022, with 75% involving knives or sharp instruments
- Public order offences rose to 649,000 in England and Wales for year ending March 2023, up 13%
- In the West Midlands, violence without injury offences numbered 89,234 in 2022/23
- Knife-enabled crimes in England and Wales: 49,489 offences in year ending September 2023
- Assault with injury in England: 184,000 incidents per Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) year ending December 2022
- In Greater Manchester, 45,678 violent crimes were recorded in 2022/23, a 7% rise
- Stalking and harassment offences: 112,000 police-recorded in England and Wales year ending March 2023, up 37%
- Robbery offences involving firearms in England: 1,200 in 2022
- Domestic abuse-related violence: 920,000 incidents flagged in England and Wales 2022/23
- In Yorkshire and Humber, 78,945 violence against person crimes in 2022/23
- Grievous bodily harm with intent: 18,000 offences in England and Wales year ending March 2023
- Youth violence (under 18 perpetrators) in England: 140,000 offences 2022
- In South Yorkshire, violent crime rate was 48.2 per 1,000 population in 2022/23
- Actual bodily harm offences: 290,000 in England and Wales year ending March 2023
- Street-level violence in England cities averaged 25% of total violent crime per CSEW 2022
- In Cleveland Police area, 32,100 violent crimes recorded 2022/23
- Common assault offences: 450,000 police-recorded in England and Wales 2022/23
- Gun crime in England and Wales: 6,122 offences year ending March 2023, up 5%
- In Kent, violence with injury: 12,500 cases in 2022/23
- Harassment offences excluding stalking: 68,000 in England 2023
- In Avon and Somerset, 38,200 violent crimes 2022/23
- Threatening behaviour public order: 200,000 offences England and Wales 2022/23
- In Northumbria, violent crime incidents: 55,000 in year ending 2023
- Wounding offences: 65,000 police-recorded in England 2022/23
- Racial hate crime violence: 32,000 incidents England and Wales 2022/23
- In Derbyshire, 22,500 assaults recorded 2022/23
- Violence per 1,000 population in England: 20.5 for year ending March 2023
Violent Crime Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture of a nation where the unsettling hum of public disorder is rising, the sharp and domestic threats are persistently grim, and your postcode still dictates the odds of encountering violence, all adding up to over a million personal violations in a single year.
Sources & References
- Reference 1GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 2ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 3METmet.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 4WEST-MIDLANDSwest-midlands.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 5GMPgmp.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 6POLICEpolice.ukVisit source
- Reference 7SOUTHYORKSHIREsouthyorkshire.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 8CLEVELANDcleveland.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 9KENTkent.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 10AVONANDSOMERSETavonandsomerset.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 11NORTHUMBRIAnorthumbria.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 12DERBYSHIREderbyshire.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 13WESTYORKSHIREwestyorkshire.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 14SOUTH-WALESsouth-wales.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 15MERSEYSIDEmerseyside.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 16NSPCCnspcc.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 17NOTTINGHAMSHIREnottinghamshire.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 18IICOMiicom.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 19LANCASHIRElancashire.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 20CAMBScambs.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 21BEDSbeds.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 22CPScps.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 23BRITISHRETAILCONSORTIUMbritishretailconsortium.comVisit source
- Reference 24NORTHWALESnorthwales.police.ukVisit source
- Reference 25HUMBERSIDEhumberside.police.ukVisit source