A think tank for drug prevention has put forward an idea to reduce the number of arrests and seizures in drug raids in order to lower the number of related violent crimes.

The UK Drug Policy Commission suggests that they follow the example of a scheme done in Boston, United States, where gang members were offered prosecution  immunity when dealing drugs if they stopped killing one another. Consequently, the number of murder rates did fall, but it makes one wonder at what cost.

The commission cites problems such as turf wars, dealer relocation, territorial changes and worse replacements as key reasons why too much enforcement may actually result in a engative impact on surrounding areas and their communities.

Despite distributing a £3 million budget to the anti-knife scheme, with an objective of reducing the rates of knife crime in the worst cities, Home Office figures show that the number of knife-related incidents has actually risen.

The official number of deaths by knife stabbing has risen by around 7% in over 20-year-olds and remained unchanged in the number of teenagers involved.

The setbacks haven’t stopped a second phase being rolled out for the “tackling knives action programme”. The next step involves pushing the scheme out to an additional 16 areas and targetting a variety or violence crimes, including sources such as gang culture. The budget for the next phase is speculated to be set at £5 million.

An interactive, online crime mapping system that is currently used in North America may be making its way to the UK soon.

Using similar technology to that employed by Savannah-Chatham Police Department in the United States, the maps can be accessed in most web browsers and pin point crimes using a variety of symbols.

Chief Constable Peter Neyroud, head of the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), said: “It is so much quicker than what we can do in this country because we are so bogged down in the bureaucracy of crime recording and making sure it is all audited, and so on. We are struggling to get quick-time information out to the public.”

There is currently a mapping system in place and available on British Police website, however, the information is only based on averages in the area and does not discern separate crimes and their locations.

The Avon and Somerset Police force has unveiled their latest weapon in the fight against pick pocket crime: tiny bells! The number of active thefts has been on the rise and a decision was made to try and put a stop to them once and for all, hence the idea for making people aware of thieves handling their belongings.

The small, silver bells, which cost 40p for a pair, can be attached to a purse, bag or wallet and will jingle when moved about. So, the idea is if someone were to try and discreetly remove a purse from your bag, you would hear the tinkle and become aware of the crime before it is too late.

Mendip District Council budgeted £2,000 for the scheme, allowing them to give out 5,000 pairs of bells in popular shopping areas.

According to figures released by the Home Office, the information held in the United Kingdom DNA database is predominantly made up of black males. This is despite white males being statistically more likely to be an offender.

A number of human and racial discrimination rights groups are due to meet to discuss issues with keeping an innocent person’s details on the database for up to 12 years.

The figures show that 27% of the black population in the UK are on the database, which is drastically higher than the 6% for the white population.

This news is a bit of a mixed bag, there are some positive figures and some negative ones. Starting with the bad news, knife crime is on the rise. Apparently the number of people who carry a knife has gone up by 60% in the past ten years, according to Home office figures.

The rise in people carrying knives comes despite a number of schemes over the last couple of years to reduce the level of knife crime.

On a more positive note, the figures were released as part of the number of convictions for knife crime. The conviction rates are up by as much as 400% in some areas, such as Yorkshire. However, in London, which has the highest knife crime rate in the UK, the rise in convictions was by less than 10%.

The London 2012 Olympics could be under serious threat from cyber criminals according to Janet Williams, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard.

Williams states how the situation has worsened over the last half year:

“There is a lot of work to be done with e-crime and the Olympics. First of all we need to get the money sorted and there is an imperative about that now.” She said, “We know from Canada and Beijing that the threats are real and they have grown in the last six months.”

It is thought that the ticketing, sponsorship and transport sectors of the event could be the most vulnerable spots of any e-crime attacks.

Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, has revealed that almost a thousand offenders are still free, despite being convicted. The number even includes 19 convicted killers, who have jumped bail or evaded capture after being sentenced.

Sex offenders, such as rapists, and people who have been convicted of manslaughter. Many of these criminals were allowed out of prison on a temporary licence, but failed to return once the licence had expired or been revoked.

The Conservatives claimed the whole scheme was “reckless” and put the general public at risk. Mr. Straw defended the current system, claiming the missing convicts represented only 1% of offenders who were allowed the licence under the early release program.

Ever wondered where the worst places for crime are in the UK? Well, thanks to a study by moneysupermarket.com, now you can find out. The financial meta-comparison website performed a study to discover which postcodes have made the highest number of claims over a year.

Doncaster (DN7) came out at the top of the list, followed by Bristol (BS7), as the worst places in the UK. Edinburgh managed to just make it in to the list, coming in at the 10th spot.

Here is the full list of all ten post codes and their corresponding area:

1. Doncaster (DN7)
2. Bristol (BS7)
3. Canvey Island, Essex (SS8)
4. Nottingham (NG8)
5. Birmingham (B15)
6. Brentford, West London (TW8)
7. West Norwood, South East London (SE27)
8. Sheffield (S5)
9. Mill Hill, London (NW7)
10. Edinburgh (EH14)

According to statistics released by the European Commission, the UK has shown a dramatic increase in violent crimes (77 per cent), such as murders and assaults since Labour came to power.

The figures place the UK at a higher level for violent crime than Europe and America and are now one of the highest in the world.

With 927 murders in 2007, the UK had a higher number relative to the population than many European countries.

The shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling, had the following statement: “This is a real damning indictment of this government’s comprehensive failure over more than a decade to tackle the deep rooted social problems in our society, and the knock-on effect on crime and anti-social behaviour.

“We’re now on our fourth Home Secretary in this parliament, and all we are getting is a rehash of old initiatives that didn’t work the first time round. More than ever Britain needs a change of direction.”

These are bleak times indeed for the United Kingdom.