Crime rate in England and Wales falls 7% to lowest level since 1981
The crime rate in England and Wales fell by 7% in 2014 to an estimated 6.9 million incidents, its lowest level since 1981, according to the latest official figures.
The Office of National Statistics said the decline continued the long-term downward trend in crime that had been seen in England and Wales since the mid-90s.
The crime rate is 64% below its peak in 1995 and the fall has accelerated in recent years, dropping 32% since 20089-09. The statisticians said the only major category to show a significant fall in 2014 was in theft offences.