Changes in police crime recording ‘could downplay’ domestic abuse reports

By Flora Thompson, Reporter25th April 2024News EnglandCourts / Justice, Domestic Abuse / Violence, Government / Politics, News England, Victim Support

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales has branded changes to the way police forces log crimes a “serious mistake”.

Nicole Jacobs (pictured) accused the Government of choosing “administrative ease” over seeking to gain a clear picture on domestic abuse-related crime.

She fears a drop in domestic abuse incidents recorded by police is down to changes in so-called Home Office counting rules rather than differences in the number of victims reporting incidents to police.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it was “too early” to tell after previously indicating any impact may not be seen until October 2025 while the Home Office disputed her claims.

ONS figures published on Thursday show police in England and Wales flagged 846,929 recorded offences as domestic abuse-related in 2023, down 5% from the 889,306 logged in 2022.

The latest period includes six months of data after the shake-up of how police record crime came into force in June 2023. The figures do not include offences recorded by Devon & Cornwall Police due to problems collecting data.

Ms Jacobs said: “We call domestic abuse a number one priority but our Government cannot even say exactly how many domestic abuse crimes are being investigated by the police. That is simply unacceptable.

“These changes have prioritised administrative ease over a clear picture of domestic abuse-related crime. This is a serious mistake.

“Accurate statistics are integral to improving the response to domestic abuse. If we count fewer crimes, I fear domestic abuse will become a lower priority.

“These statistics not only under-represent the reality for victims, they downplay the hard work of police officers to investigate every domestic abuse crime reported.

“I am calling for these new counting rules to be robustly evaluated and for a clear plan of action to be set out once the evaluation is concluded to ensure victims are not adversely affected.

“We also need investment in functional IT systems and robust data tracking of victims from report through to court. Only then will we have a clear picture of how we can and must improve the response of the criminal justice system.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “It isn’t true to say the changes to the Home Office counting rules cover up domestic abuse cases.

“The Office for National Statistics is clear that the Crime Survey for England and Wales provides the best measure of domestic abuse prevalence.

“It is vital that victims of domestic abuse feel confident to report to the police and we continue to urge them to do so. Crime recording practices do not impact the way the police respond to these crimes.

“We have made it clear that forces must prioritise their response to crimes like domestic abuse by adding violence against women and girls to the strategic policing requirement.”