The UK is a very safe place to live
Crime can be an issue that scares people. The news is full of scary stories about serious crimes which can make it feel like these kinds of crimes are happening all the time and everywhere. It's important to remember that this is not true.
One of the reasons why the Burnet News Club is discussing this issue is to learn about how the media sometimes makes news stories seem scarier than they actually are, or presents things in ways that aren't quite accurate.
We are looking at an unusual increase in certain crimes and ways to reverse this. But even with the increase, the UK is a very safe place to live.
The overall levels of violent crime in England and Wales are much lower than when you were born.
Here are some bits of information to show that the UK is generally a very safe place to live:
1) The overall levels of violent crime in England and Wales are much lower than when you were born.
2) Murder in the UK is very rare compared to other places. In the UK one person in every hundred thousand people is murdered. Compare that to the statistic that one person in every fifty thousand dies from playing football!
3) In some countries that figure is much higher. For example in Brazil the murder rate is 30 times higher than in the UK.
During this issue, we do not want you to focus on details of specific crimes committed. We want to look at some possible reasons behind the rise and suggestions for how to prevent it. We also want you to develop a healthy scepticism you can apply when confronted with stories in the news.
QUESTIONS FOR BNC MEMBERS
Why is it important to know these facts?
Did any of these facts surprise you?