6.1 The total number of crimes cleared up by the police rose by 11,000 (6 per cent) from 178,000 in 1998 to 189,000 in 1999. This represented an increase in the overall clear-up rate from 41 per cent to 43 per cent (Table 3). Clear-up rates vary markedly depending on the type of crime and reflect, in part, the differing circumstances in which crimes come to the attention of the police. Property related crimes tend to have comparatively low clear-up rates and this in turn affects the total achieved. Crimes of violence have higher clear-up rates and, for a number of crimes in which identification of the offence and the offender tends to occur simultaneously (for example drugs possession), clear-up rates will tend towards 100 per cent. In other types of crime, the police have the task of finding the offender after the crime is discovered and reported to them.
6.2 In 1999, the clear-up rates increased for three of the five main crime groups and remained unchanged for the other two categories (crimes of indecency and other crimes) remaining constant. The overall clear-up rate for crimes partly reflect the clear-up rate for the largest group, crimes of dishonesty, and in particular, the most frequently occurring types of crime, housebreaking and theft. In 1999, the clear up rate for housebreaking increased from 21 per cent to 23 per cent; that for theft by opening a lockfast place (OLP) (excluding motor vehicles) rose from 24 per cent to 29 per cent; the rate for theft from a motor vehicle by OLP rose from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and the clear up rate for theft of a motor vehicle rose from 28 per cent to 32 per cent.
Chart 4 Clear-up rates for particular crime categories, 1990 - 1999
chart 4
6.3 Most crimes in the group "other crimes", which includes crimes against public justice and drugs crimes, were cleared up (99 per cent). Similarly, the vast majority of offences (89 per cent) in the "miscellaneous offences" group were cleared up. This reflects the characteristics of such crimes and offences and the circumstances in which they come to the attention of the police - in many cases (such as drunkenness), the offender is "caught in the act".