-Caveat Lector- Euphorian spotted this on the Guardian Unlimited site and thought you should see it.
To see this story with its related links on the Guardian Unlimited site, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk Gun crimes soar by 35% Staff and agencies Thursday January 09 2003 The Guardian Gun crime in England and Wales increase by 35% last year and criminals used handguns in nearly 50% more offences, Home Office figures revealed today. Firearms were used in 9,974 recorded crimes in the 12 months to last April, up from 7,362. The figures also show the number of crimes involving handguns has more than doubled since the ban on the weapons imposed after the Dunblane massacre from 2,636 in 1997-1998 to 5,871 in the 12 months to April last year. The number of homicide victims killed by firearms increased 32%, or 23 cases, in the year to April 2002. Overall there was a 1% rise in the number of homicides to 858 in England and Wales. In all, handgun crime rose 46% year-on-year. Unadjusted figures show overall recorded crime in the 12 months to last September rose 9.3% but the Home Office stressed that new procedures had skewed the figures. With new recording procedures taken into account the actual overall rise was just 2%, the Home Office said. Robbery was up 14.5% (up 13% adjusted) but from July to September, when the government's street crime initiative was in full swing, it actually fell by 10% in adjusted figures. Domestic burglary figures increased 7.9% (or increased 5% when adjusted), figures which are likely to embarrass ministers in the wake of the lord chief justice and lord chancellor's comments on jailing burglars. Violence against individuals was up 28% in the three months to September last year, which the Home Office adjusted to a 4% rise. Over the same period sex offences were up 25.6%, but ministers said this figure was likely to be inflated by the new statistical changes. Drug offences also rose 12.3% but no adjusted figures were available for this category. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
