Overall Crime Rate
The overall crime rate in the Wakefield District is currently around 30% higher than the England and Wales average. The number of crimes being recorded in the district has grown significantly over the past couple of years (see graph below) as adherence to crime recording standards has been improved. The consequence is that comparisons with other areas should now be more accurate, notwithstanding that certain types of crime still tend to be under-reported.
Source: ONS Recorded Crime Data (LG Inform API).
Click here for a more detailed crime breakdown
Reoffending
The proportion of young offenders who re-offend is currently lower than the national average. Adult re-offending rates tend to change gradually, and have been very close to the national re-offending rate for some time (see charts below).
Proven re-offending, 12 months to September. Source: Ministry of Justice
Hate Crime
There were 542 hate incidents reported to the police in 2016, with the majority being racial incidents (see table below). There was a noticeable increase in racial hate incidents around the time of the Brexit vote and at that time the racially or religiously aggravated crime rate was significantly higher across Wakefield District than in similar districts elsewhere.
Hate incidents reported to the police.
