And yet another wonderful job being done.
'Tough on Crime and the causes of Crime'

Violent crime in the three months to the end of June increased by 6% on the same period last year, according to quarterly Home Office figures.
But crime overall fell by 2%, the figures for England and Wales showed.

The Home Office said the figures for violent offences - up from 301,100 to 318,200 - reflected improved crime recording and more proactive policing.

Annual crime figures published in July indicated one million violent offences in 2004-5 - up 7% on the previous year.

The 318,200 violent offences, including murder, serious wounding and other life-threatening crimes, in the second quarter of 2005, also represented a rise of more than 30,000 from the 284,900 recorded in the first quarter.
But dont worry overall crime is down, I can walk down the road and not have my phone knicked or my car stolen, but I might get murdered, seriously wounded etc...

What a great improvement

While recorded crime fell 2% in the quarterly figures, the alternative British Crime Survey (BCS), which polls people's experience of crime, found overall offences in England and Wales fell 5% in the 12 months to June 2005.

During the same period, 24% of people were the victims of at least one crime, the BCS indicates - the lowest percentage since the survey began in 1981.

Mr Clarke said: "This is a considerable achievement demonstrating the success of government initiatives on crime reduction and should not be underestimated.

"However, I recognise that the fear of crime is too high - it is not enough to reduce crime if people do not perceive that reduction.

Shadow home affairs minister Edward Garnier said violent crime was continuing to "spiral out of control".

He said: "The government should defer 24-hour drinking until it has got a grip on the problem of binge-drinking, which is fuelling violent crime."

Mr Garnier also blamed "the government's failure even to begin fighting the war on drugs" for rising violence.

New licensing laws allowing 24-hour drinking are due to come into force on 24 November.