The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports

Published on: 25 January 2012

Publication types: National report

Summary

Our review of police crime and incident reports in England and Wales considers the quality of crime and incident data, and the arrangements in place to ensure standards are maintained and improved.

It is important for police forces to have high quality data to ensure they can establish where, when and how often crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) is happening so they can plan their work to achieve the best outcomes for victims and communities. It also means that the public, Government and HMIC can get an accurate picture of crime and ASB in a particular area.

The review found that the majority of forces are performing well, and some progress has been made since HMIC’s 2009 report Crime Counts: A review of data quality for offences of the most serious violence (PDF, 320KB, new window) (PDF document). However, there remains wide variation in accuracy.

The process for recording crimes and incidents

The crime recording process has three key stages:

  • Recording an incident: A member of the public calls for police assistance, or a police officer observes or discovers a crime. The police create an incident record.
  • Recording a crime: If the police decide a crime was committed, they create a crime record (usually straight away).
  • Investigating a crime: Investigations begin as soon as possible, usually with initial enquiries which look for possible leads and gather evidence (a ‘primary investigation’). A more detailed, ‘secondary investigation’ then takes place to consider the evidence gathered in the initial stages.

Get the report

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports (PDF, 456KB, new window) (PDF document)

Get the free PDF Reader from Adobe (external link)

Individual force reports

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Avon and Somerset Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Bedfordshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Cambridgeshire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Cheshire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – City of London Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Cleveland Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Cumbria Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Derbyshire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Devon and Cornwall Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Dorset Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Durham Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Dyfed-Powys Police

Adolygiad o adroddiadau troseddau a digwyddiadau heddlu – Heddlu Dyfed Powys

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Essex Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Gloucestershire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Greater Manchester Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Gwent Police

Adolygiad o adroddiadau troseddau a digwyddiadau heddlu – Heddlu Gwent

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Hampshire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Hertfordshire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Humberside Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Kent Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Lancashire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Leicestershire Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Lincolnshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Merseyside Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Metropolitan Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Norfolk Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Northamptonshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Northumbria Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – North Yorkshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – North Wales Police

Adolygiad o adroddiadau troseddau a digwyddiadau heddlu – Heddlu Gogledd Cymru

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Nottinghamshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – South Yorkshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – South Wales Police

Adolygiad o adroddiadau troseddau a digwyddiadau heddlu – Heddlu De Cymru

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Staffordshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Suffolk Constabulary

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Surrey Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Sussex Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Thames Valley Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Warwickshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – West Mercia Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – West Midlands Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – West Yorkshire Police

The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports – Wiltshire Police

Get the press release

Press release for The crime scene: A review of police crime and incident reports