About Us
Making a Difference
Ways To Give
Apply For A Grant
Professional Advisors
Foundation News
Campaigns |
 |
| Sign up to receive our e-newsletters! |
 |
 . |
Where
are we now?A decade or so ago, the North East had crime rates well above the national
average. Since then,
most categories of crime – especially property crime – have fallen
nationally, and fallen faster in the
North East. Within the region, the Durham Police Force Area (which includes
Darlington) has
witnessed big reductions and the area is said to be ‘one of the safest
places to live in the country’
(Durham Police Authority/Constabulary, Annual Report 2005-06). People here
are less likely to
experience burglaries or violence than in most other parts of the country.
Durham’s crime rates can most appropriately be compared with those recorded
by a group of
‘Most Similar Forces’ (MSF); this is the comparison used by Durham
Police Authority. The figures
show that Durham has rates that are well below the average for these MSF areas
(Table 10). There
are variations across the force area; Darlington and Wear Valley have overall
crime rates close to
the national average, while Teesdale has very low rates indeed.
Fear of crime has generally been falling, and people in Durham are less worried
about burglary, car
crime and violent crime than those living in the comparator MSF areas. However,
there is a relatively
high degree of concern in Durham about anti-social behaviour and drugs (Table
11). These
problems might be less than in many areas – but the public perceive
them as important and
worrying issues.
