Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:ReRe:Re:Crime infested London | |
Posted by: | Francis Rowe | |
Date/Time: | 18/07/25 16:21:00 |
There is no reason for complacency but we remain safer and less likely to be victims of crime (other than online fraud) than we used to be. The reasons for this are obvious, improvements in DNA testing and a blanketing of London with CCTV meant that habitual criminals were usually caught and locked up. We do have a problem looming in that with prisons full and no expansion on the immediate horizon, there is no choice but to let some criminals out. The surge in shoplifting is probably a result of this as people are being realised early or never actually being locked up for this despite being repeat offenders. It is inevitable that a significant proportion of those released will go on to reoffend so that will tend to push crime rates up. As has been rightly observed, this is an offence largely driven by addiction. If you combine this with a reduction in police numbers and general funding for law enforcement plus a stagnant economy, crime will rise. It's unfair to accuse the authorities of not having a clue as the source of the problems are clear and the solutions are not easy. Despite all of this we are a long way from being 'crime infested' and particularly at a local level, the police seem to me to do a really good job and don't recognise the characaterisation of 'softly softly arms length policing'. |