Recorded crime figures – the figures which police authorities produce – have always been a poor way to identify crime trends. They are really a measure of police activity and priorities. A big operation to tackle knife crime, for instance, may uncover and record many more offences involving knives: it does not mean knife crime is rising. Added to that, there is an inbuilt temptation for police officers to ‘adjust’ their crime figures when targets need to be met. As with all recorded activity or performance data, there is always a risk of inaccuracy, confusion and fraud. A much more reliable measure of crime is the Crime Survey of England and Wales which produces figures by asking people if they have been victims of crime.