Since 2003, crime has fallen by 10 per cent; since 2002, the rate of offences brought to justice has increased by 39.6 per cent.; and sanction detection rates have increased from 19 per cent. in 2003-04 to 24 per cent. in 2005-06.
In 2004-05 and 2005-06 the effectiveness of volume crime investigation has been assessed as one of 23 frameworks in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s baseline assessment of police forces.
Over the past three years, the Home Office has commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to audit the quality of police detection data recording, and the results are used to improve administration and record-keeping.