IMPROVING NORTH WEST DETECTION RATES KEY TO CUTTING CRIME

11.50.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 8th Jun 2009

Nearly 50,000 extra crimes would be solved in the North West each year if all police forces in the region improved their clear-up rate to the level of the best forces in the country, according to research by Liberal Democrat MP Andrew Stunell.

The figures show that if the five North West police forces matched the five best in the country:

• 47,019 extra crimes would be detected.

• This would include 11,110 violent offences, 4,905 burglaries, 1,548 robberies and 293 sexual offences.

• In Greater Manchester an extra 32,776 crimes would have been detected, including 6,043 violent offences, 3,248 burglaries, 1,264 robberies and 211 sexual offences.

If they even reached the England average detection rate, 10,525 crimes would be solved that are not today:

• This would include 453 violent offences, 406 burglaries, and 74 robberies.

• The vast hulk of these would be in Greater Manchester, with an extra 8,939 crimes being detected, including 406 burglaries and 74 robberies.

• Greater Manchester (25%) and Cheshire (26%) Police Forces had detection rates below the national average (28%).

• One piece of good news for the region was that all five police forces had detection rates for sexual offences that were above the national average.

Commenting, Andrew Stunell said:

"For far too long, Labour and the Conservatives have allowed policing and criminal justice policy to be dictated by what sounds tough rather than what cuts crime.

"These figures clearly show that improved detection rates are the key. There are areas in the North West where forces are leading the way, and areas where detection rates need to improve. By spreading best practice from the top-performing forces in the country we can cut crime.

"The Government's own research shows it is the likelihood of getting caught, not the severity of sentence, that deters criminals. Only one in a hundred crimes leads to a conviction in court and improved detection rates are the key to success.

"Catching more criminals means putting more police on the street and for longer, introducing intensive policing in hot spots and learning from what works - not tougher sounding sentences, useless gimmicks and political posturing."

ENDS