Borough Profile 2020 Chapter 8 Crime Summary Crime

Borough Profile 2020 Chapter 8: Crime

Summary • Crime in Tower Hamlets has risen in recent years but less rapidly than in London as a whole. In December 2019 there were 35, 118 notifiable offences, a 4. 2 per cent increase since 2016, compared to the 16. per cent increase in the London as a whole. • Tower Hamlets has the 6 th highest rate of crime overall in London (total notifiable offences) and the 2 nd highest rate of Anti Social Behaviour calls in London. • 86 per cent of residents say they feel safe in the area during the day and 58 per cent feel safe at night. • Recorded youth crime in the borough has fallen, as it has elsewhere. BME boys are more likely than other young people to have committed a proven offence. • Tower Hamlets has the 5 th highest rate of domestic violence offences in London, with the majority of victims being female and the majority of perpetrators being male. • Between December 2015 and December 2019 there was a 39 per cent rise in sexual offences. • In 2019 the proportion of residents who cited drug using or dealing as a concern was 67 per cent, an increase of 7 per cent points since 2018. • In the context of other London boroughs, the number of race hate crimes, sexual orientation hate crimes, faith hate crimes and Islamophobic hate crimes are all above average. Conversely, fewer local residents consider hate crime to be a problem than in the majority of other London boroughs. • Our residents remain positive about cohesion. 78 per cent think people from different backgrounds get on well together. However there has been a shift between 2018 and 2019, with a fall of 8 per centage points from 86 per cent. Nevertheless, this compares well to the London average of 75 per cent.

Recorded Crime By Crime Type Recorded Crime by Crime Type for Tower Hamlets, Year to December 2018 Violence without injury; 3416 All other theft offences; 4355 Criminal damage and arson; 2092 Violence with injury; 2949 Bicycle theft; 1443 Vehicle offences; 3600 Drug offences; 2104 Source: ONS, Recorded Crime Data by Community Safety Partnership Area, December 2018 crimes against society, 390 Non-residential burglary; 962 Possession of weapons, 339 Theft from the person; 1761 Stalking and harassment; 2189 Public order offences; 2229 Shoplifting; 1064 Sexual offences; 774 Residential burglary; 2328 Robbery; 1545

Overall Crime • 35, 118 notifiable offences as at December 2019. • 14. 3 per cent increase since December 2016. • Compares to an increase of 19. 6 per cent across London as a whole. • Rate of 117. 9 crimes per 1000 population. • 6 th highest rate of 32 London Boroughs. • 17, 109 Anti Social Behaviour Calls in the year to December 2019. • 57. 45 ASB calls per 1000 population. • 2 nd highest number and rate of ASB calls in London (after Westminster).

Under Reporting of Crime • It is known that crime is significantly under-reported and some types of crime are particularly likely to go unreported • The Crime Survey for England Wales (CSEW) estimates that there were 6. 4 million crimes (excluding fraud and computer misuse) in the year to March 2019 but police recorded crime data in the year to March 2019 amounted to 5. 2 million offences. • Domestic violence is particularly likely to go unreported - Nationally, the CSEW estimates that 2. 4 million adults experienced domestic abuse in the year to March 2019 while the police recorded 746 k crimes in the same period. • Police made 32 arrests per 100 recorded domestic abuse crimes nationally, meaning that fewer than one in ten of the adults who experienced domestic abuse will have seen that lead to an arrest. • It is clear from other sources such as A&E admissions and presentations in acute settings that unreported crime is impacting on other services such as healthcare provision

Indices of Multiple Deprivation Crime Domain 2015 2019

Crime as a determinant of deprivation • The Crime Domain is one of seven domains in the English Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). As such, it contributes to the overall deprivation score for the local area and recognises the link between poverty, disadvantage and crime. • Tower Hamlets is ranked 33 rd out of 317 local authority districts in England on the IMD Crime Domain (based on the rank of score measure • This compares with an ‘overall’ ranking of 50 th (Rank of Score measure) meaning that Tower Hamlets is more deprived on this measure than it is overall. • Tower Hamlets was the sixth most deprived London Borough (of 33) based on its rank of score for the Crime domain • Crime deprivation in Tower Hamlets decreased relative to other areas between 2015 and 2019, with Tower Hamlets moving from the 13 th most deprived area to the 33 rd most deprived area.

Youth Crime – Children Cautioned or Sentenced • 182 children were cautioned or sentenced in Tower Hamlets and the City of London in 2018/19, which equates to 0. 64% of all children aged 10 -17 estimated to be living in the two areas in mid 2018. • By comparison, 4023 children were cautioned or sentenced in London which equates to 0. 50% of all children aged 0 -17 in mid 2018. Children cautioned or sentenced, April 2018 to March 2019. 350 294 300 250 200 150 186 199 175 98 115 125 191 156 150 101 100 50 104 142 109 79 77 119 82 219 198 180 182 188 121 104 31 54 54 73 62 55 Ba rk in g an d D ag en ha m Ba rn Be et xl ey Br Br ent om C ley am d C en ro yd o Ea n lin H En g am G re field m en er sm w ith Ha ich an ck d ne Fu y lh H am ar in g H ey ar H row av H erin illi ng g Ke d H ns ou on in n Ki gt s ng on Is low lin st a on nd g an Ch ton d e R lse ic hm a La ond m Le be w th is ha M m e N rton To e w w er R ha ed m H am b So rid le ts ut ge hw an d ar C ity Su k W of tto al Lo n th am ndo W Fo n an re s d W sw t es or tm th in st er 0 Source: Youth Justice Statistics, 2018 -19, Ministry of Justice and Youth Justice Board

Youth Crime – Offences Committed • Youth offences have fallen in each of the last two years and totalled 407 in 2018/19. • However, drugs offences in 2018/19 were the highest they had been since 2013/14 Offences committed by children by type of offence, 2013/14 to 2018/19 700 600 174 500 400 95 48 37 22 300 101 5 40 17 16 51 68 40 200 28 28 0 4 72 3 115 37 14 30 124 2 16 31 24 44 66 76 67 36 98 106 79 62 6 94 61 13 29 33 77 130 100 65 53 8 22 28 2013/14 2014/15 Breach of statutory order Drugs Public order Theft and handling stolen goods 70 38 17 2015/16 Burglary Motoring offences Robbery Violence against the person 26 19 12 13 29 2016/17 2017/18 Criminal damage Other Sexual offences 109 24 9 8 6 2018/19

Youth Crime – Ethnic Group and Sex • 75. 3 per cent of offenders in 2018/19 were from a BAME ethnic group, 21. 4 per cent were from a white ethnic group, 3. 3 per cent were from an unknown ethnic group. • 92% of offenders in 2018/19 were male and 8% were female Children cautioned or sentenced in the year to March 2019 by sex Children cautioned or sentenced in the year to March 2019 by ethnic group 100% 60% 50% 92% 90% 49% 80% 70% 40% 60% 50% 30% 21% 20% 12% 30% 12% 10% 40% 2% 3% Other Unknown 8% 10% 0% 0% Asian Black Mixed White Male Female

C am H de ac n an kn e d Fu y lh Ke H am ar ns in in g gt on Is ey l an ing t d C on he ls La ea m Le bet w h is h N am ew S ha To out m h w er wa H rk W am an let Ba ds s rk in We wo g r an stm th d in D ag ster en ha m Ba rn e Be t xl ey Br e Br nt om C ley ro yd on Ea lin En g fi G re eld en w ic H h ar r H ow av e H ring Ki i l lin ng g st on Ho don up un on slo Th w am R e ic M s hm e r on R e ton d up dbr on idg Th e am es W al Su th am tto n Fo re st ith sm er m am H Domestic Violence • There were 3, 613 domestic abuse offences in the year to February 2020, a rate of 12. 1 offences per 1, 000 population. • Tower Hamlets had the 5 th highest rate among the 32 London Boroughs. Domestic Violence Offences per 1000 population, year to February 2020, London Boroughs 16 14 12 12, 1 10 8 6 4 2 0

Domestic Violence (2) • • • Rate of recorded Domestic Violence incidents much higher – 6, 098 or 20. 5 per 1000 population (3 rd highest in London). 74 per cent of victims of domestic Violence victims were female and 26 per cent were male in 2018/19. This compares to the Crime Survey for England Wales where 67% of victims nationally were women and 33% were men. 41 per cent of victims were Asian, 35 per cent White, 10 per cent Black, 12 per cent unknown ethnicity. 77 per cent aged 18 -44, with 25 -34 year olds making up the largest group. 4 per cent under 18. 92 per cent of domestic violence perpetrators were male while 8 per cent were female. 47 per cent of perpetrators were Asian, 37 per cent White, 14 per cent Black. 87 per cent aged 18 -44 Domestic Violence victims by sex, 2018/19 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 74% Domestic Violence victims by ethnicity, 2018/19 50% 41% 35% 40% 30% 26% 12% 10% 2% 0% Male Female Asian White Unknown Black Other

H C am de ac n an kn d e Fu y lh Ke H am ns ar in in gt g on Is ey an ling d t C on he l La sea m Le bet w h is h N am ew S h To ou am w thw er a H rk W am an le Ba ts d rk in W sw o g e an stm rth d D ins ag te en r ha m Ba rn e Be t xl ey Br e Br nt om C ley ro yd on Ea lin En g f G re ield en w ic H h ar H row av e H rin Ki illi g ng ng st d on H o up oun n on sl Th ow am R ic e hm M s e on r d Red ton up br on id Th ge am W es al th Sut am to n Fo re st ith sm er m am H Sexual Violence • There were 817 Sexual offences in Tower Hamlets in the year to February 2020, a rate of 2. 7 offences per 1000 population. • There has been a 26 per cent rise in sexual offences in the borough between March 2016 and February 2020. Sexual Offences per 1000 population, year to February 2020, London Boroughs 6 5 4 3 2, 7 2 1 0

Sexual Violence – Victims and Perpetrators Victims - 88 per cent of sexual violence victims were female in 2018/19 and 39 per cent of victims were White, 27 per cent Asian, 12 per cent Black, 12 per cent unknown ethnicity. 69 per cent of victims were aged 18 -44 while 22 per cent were under 18. Sexual violence victims by ethnicity, 2018/19 45% 40% Sexual violence victims by age, 2018/19 35% 30% 39% 25% 35% 27% 30% 22% 20% 25% 18% 20% 12% 15% 27% 10% 12% 10% 4% 5% 15% 6% 5% 2% 1% 55 -64 65+ 0% 0% White Asian Black Other Unknown Under 18 18 -24 25 -34 35 -44 45 -54 Perpetrators - 98 per cent of sexual violence perpetrators in 2018/19 were male. In terms of ethnic group, 47 per cent of perpetrators were Asian, 37 per cent white, 14 per cent black. In terms of age. 70 per cent of perpetrators were aged 18 -44 with 19 per cent being aged 18 -24. 5 per cent were under 18 and 25 per cent were aged 45 and over.

Drugs and Alcohol • The Annual Residents Survey (ARS) captures residents perception about local services and includes a suite of questions about residents concerns about anti-social behaviour. In 2019, 67 per cent of residents cited drug using or dealing as a concern. • There were 551 arrests made for intent to supply drugs in 2018/19, with 64 per cent of arrests relating to possession of class A drugs involved the possession of cocaine or crack cocaine. • Tower Hamlets has the highest estimated rate of opiate and crack cocaine users in London 3, 244 or 14. 4 per 100, 000 adults. • According to the 2017 Pupil Attitude Survey of children and young people in Tower Hamlets schools, 6 per cent of school children have tried drugs • The Annual Residents Survey also found that 45 per cent of residents said people being drunk and rowdy was a concern, but 48 per cent of adult residents say that they have never drunk alcohol • There were 3, 400 dependent drinkers in Tower Hamlets.

Hate Crime 162 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 119 88 73 an s ge nd er bi c Feb-20 Tr m Is al Mar-15 Se xu la or ie nt a op ho tio Fa ith n 8 10 D is ab i c iti m Se 54 16 13 lit y 8 13 81 Race hate crimes, year to February 2020, London Boroughs 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 718 Camden Hackney Hammersmith and. . . Haringey Islington Kensington and C. . . Lambeth Lewisham Newham Southwark Tower Hamlets Wandsworth Westminster Barking and Dage. . . Barnet Bexley Brent Bromley Croydon Ealing Enfield Greenwich Harrow Havering Hillingdon Hounslow Kingston upon Tha. . . Merton Redbridge Richmond upon T. . . Sutton Waltham Forest Hate Crimes (excluding Race Hate Crime, year to March 2015 and year to February 2020 ti- • In the year to February 2020 there were 13 anti-Semitic hate crime offences; 13 disability hate crime offences; 119 Faith hate crime offences (5 th highest in London); 162 sexual orientation hate crime offences (6 th highest in London); 81 Islamophobic hate crime offences (2 nd highest in London); 718 race hate crime offences (7 th highest in London); 10 transgender hate crime offences. There is a rising trend in some hate crimes, particularly sexual orientation hate crimes which almost doubled between March 2016 and February 2020. Race hate and Islamophobic hate crimes were also higher in February 2020 than in March 2016 (respectively rising from 548 to 718 and from 54 to 81). An •

Hate Crime (2) • Males were more likely than females to be the victim of every type of hate crime in 2018/19 and were particularly more likely to be the victim of sexual orientation hate crimes, accounting for 85 per cent of these crimes. They were also particularly more likely to be the victim of anti-Semitic hate crimes, accounting for 78 per cent of these crimes. • 33 per cent of victims of race hate crimes in 2018/19 were Asian, 23 per cent were black, 22 per cent were white and 19 per cent were of unknown ethnicity. • More than a quarter (27 per cent) of victims of disability hate crimes in 2018/19 were children under 18 and 22 per cent of victims of anti-Semitic hate crimes were children under 18 (although this only related to a small number of reported crimes). • Adults aged 18 -44 were the victims of 78 per cent of race hate crimes, 84 per cent of sexual orientation hate crimes and 84 per cent of Islamophobic hate crimes. • Males were much more likely than females to be the perpetrators of hate crime in 2018/19, accounting for at least 80 per cent of every hate crime type for which information was available. • 12 per cent of residents say that Hate Crime is a major or minor problem in their area – a smaller proportion than in 18 other London boroughs

Perceptions of the Borough The Annual Residents Survey captures residents perceptions about the council, local services and the area. In 2019: - • 78 per cent of local residents agreed that the local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together. This was 8 per centage points lower than in 2018 but was still above the London average of 75 per cent. • 70 per cent of residents said they were satisfied with the area as a place to live, down from 79 per cent the previous year. • 86 per cent of residents said that they feel safe in the borough during the day and 58 per cent feel safe after dark. • 35 per cent of residents said noisy neighbours were a problem. • 45 per cent of residents said vandalism and graffiti were a problem.