Community Safety
Ensuring that Wiltshire is a safe place to live, work and visit is a key priority. Working together to build strong, resilient communities is crucial in reducing not only crime, but the fear of crime as well as anti-social behaviour and substance misuse.
The following information provides a more detailed picture in relation to a range of indicators pertaining to community safety. The data is designed to help communities to understand local issues and to develop community-led work to improve local outcomes.
The information below covers the following areas:
Links to other thematic areas
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Anti-social behaviour incidents
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is the term given to any kind of activity that causes harm, alarm or distress to an individual or a community. Where it persists, it can adversely impact on feelings of safety as well as quality of life, particularly for those who are vulnerable or suffer repeat victimisation. In 2018/19, rates of recorded anti-social behaviour were notably higher than Wiltshire's average rate of 14 incidents per 1,000 persons in Chippenham, Devizes, Salisbury, Tidworth and Trowbridge community areas.
Definition: Anti social behaviour incidents reported to Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 1,000 persons.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Successful community resolutions
Community resolution is a tool that can be used by Community Safety Partnerships to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour, particularly those offences that are of a comparatively less serious nature but that still negatively impact on individuals and/or communities (such as criminal damage and public disorder). Community resolutions can help to reduce the risk of repeat offending by encouraging perpetrators to confront the impact of their behaviour and to take responsibility for making good the harm caused. In 2018/19, the rate of successful community resolutions was higher than Wiltshire's average of 6 per 10,000 persons in Devizes, Salisbury and Trowbridge community areas.
Definition: Successful community resolutions, a mechanism to manage anti social behaviour recorded by Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Hate crimes
A hate crime is any crime committed against an individual or community that is motivated by prejudice or hostility in relation to disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief or sexual orientation. In 2018/19, almost 400 hate crimes were recorded across Wiltshire, equivalent to a rate of 7 per 1,000 persons. Rates of recorded hate crime were higher than that recorded across Wiltshire in Melksham, Salisbury, Tidworth, Trowbridge and Warminster community areas.
Definition: Hate crimes recorded by Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 1,000 persons.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Domestic abuse offences
Frequently under reported, domestic abuse refers to any type of controlling, threatening or violent behaviour between persons aged 16 or over within either a personal or familial relationship. The term does not refer solely to physical violence, but also includes emotional, physical, sexual, financial or psychological abuse. In 2018/19, almost 4,000 offences of domestic abuse were recorded in Wiltshire, equivalent to a rate of 8 offences per 1,000 persons. Rates of recorded domestic abuse were higher than that across Wiltshire in 2018/19 in Devizes, Melksham, Salisbury, Tidworth, Trowbridge and Westbury community areas.
Definition: Domestic abuse offences (crimes) recorded by Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 1,000 persons.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Domestic abuse offences where children or young people were present
Domestic abuse is a major social problem that cuts across all social, geographic and cultural groups and witnessing domestic abuse can have long-term effects on children and young people. In 2018/19, the rate of domestic abuse offences where children and young people were present in Wiltshire equated to 2 offences per 1,000 persons. Rates of recorded domestic abuse witnessed by persons under the age of 18 were higher than that across Wiltshire in 2018/19 in Calne, Devizes, Melksham, Tidworth, Trowbridge and Westbury community areas.
Definition: Domestic abuse offences (crimes) where children and young people (under the age of 18 years) were present recorded by Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 1,000 persons.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Percentage of domestic abuse offences where children or young people were present
Domestic abuse is a major social problem that cuts across all social, geographic and cultural groups and witnessing domestic abuse can have long-term effects on children and young people. In 2018/19, just over a quarter of all recorded domestic abuse offences in Wiltshire were witnessed by children and/or young people. Proportions were notably higher than the 26% reported across Wiltshire in Calne, Devizes, Malmesbury, Melksham, Tidworth and Westbury community areas.
Definition: The percentage of domestic abuse offences (crimes) where children and young people (under the age of 18 years) were present recorded by Wiltshire Police.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Sexual offences
Sexual offences include non-consensual crimes such as rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and crimes that exploit others for a sexual purpose, including grooming. Offences can occur between strangers, acquaintances, family members as well as current and ex partners and can have devastating long term effects on individuals, families and communities. In 2018/19, the rate of recorded sexual offences in Wiltshire stood at 2 offences per 1,000 persons. Rates of recorded sexual offences were higher than that recorded across Wiltshire in Amesbury, Devizes, Salisbury and Tidworth community areas.
Definition: Sexual offences (crimes) recorded by Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 1,000 persons. Sexual offences include rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and crimes that exploit others for a sexual purpose, including grooming according to current Home Office counting rules for recorded crime.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Violent offences
Violent offences cover an array of crimes including serious and common assaults, stalking, harassment, manslaughter and murder. In 2018/19, the rate of recorded violent offences in Wiltshire stood at 18 offences per 1,000 persons. Rates of recorded violent offences were higher than that recorded across Wiltshire in Devizes, Melksham, Salisbury, Trowbridge and Westbury community areas.
Definition: Violent offences (crimes) recorded by Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 1,000 persons. Violent offences include murder (including attempt), manslaughter, serious and common assaults with and without injury, racially or religiously aggravated violent offences, kidnapping, child abduction, child cruelty, modern slavery, threats to kill, stalking and harassment according to current Home Office counting rules for recorded crime.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Killed or seriously injured casualties on Wiltshire roads
Traffic collisions are a major cause of preventable deaths and morbidity. Between 2016-18, almost 700 casualties resulting in serious injury or fatality were recorded on Wiltshire roads, equivalent to a rate of 46 casualties per 100,000 persons. Rates of casualties resulting in serious injury or fatality were lower than that reported across Wiltshire in Bradford on Avon, Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Devizes, Melksham, Salisbury, Southern Wiltshire, Tidworth, Trowbridge and Westbury community areas.
Definition: The number of people reported killed or seriously injured (KSI) on Wiltshire roads expressed as a rate per 100,000 persons.
Data Source and Time Period: Road accidents and safety statistics, Department for Transport 2016-2018.
Road traffic collisions on Wiltshire roads
Staying safe on the road is a priority for everyone. The vast majority of road traffic collisions are preventable and can be avoided through improved education, awareness, road infrastructure and vehicle safety. Between 2016-18, almost 3,000 road traffic collisions were recorded on Wiltshire roads, equivalent to a rate of 196 collisions per 100,000 persons. Rates of road traffic collisions were lower than that reported across Wiltshire in Bradford on Avon, Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Devizes, Salisbury, Southern Wiltshire, Tidworth, Trowbridge and Westbury community areas.
Definition: The number of road traffic collisions on Wiltshire roads expressed as a rate per 100,000 persons.
Data Source and Time Period: Road accidents and safety statistics, Department for Transport 2016-2018.
Persons aged 18 years and over reported missing
In 2018/19, almost 500 adults (aged 18 years and over) were reported missing to Wiltshire Police, equivalent to a rate of 12 per 10,000 persons aged 18 years and over. Rates of reported missing adults were lower than that reported across Wiltshire in 2018/19 in Amesbury, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Mere, Pewsey, Royal Wootton Basset and Cricklade, Tidworth, Tisbury and Wilton community areas.
Definition: The number of adults aged 18 years and over reported missing to Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons aged 18 years and over.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Persons aged under 18 years reported missing
In 2018/19, just over 400 young persons (aged under 18 years) were reported missing to Wiltshire Police, equivalent to a rate of 39 per 10,000 persons aged under 18 years. Rates of reported missing young people were markedly higher than that reported across Wiltshire over the same time frame in Devizes, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury community areas.
Definition: The number of young people aged under 18 years reported missing to Wiltshire Police expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons aged under 18 years.
Data Source and Time Period: Wiltshire Police Business Intelligence Team, 2018/19.
Young persons aged under 18 years in treatment for substance misuse
Alcohol and drugs misuse negatively impacts on both physical and mental health and can have far reaching effects on young people and their families. Between 2016/17 - 2018/19 the rate of young people (aged under 18 years) accessing treatment for substance misuse (including both drug and alcohol misuse) stood at 22 per 10,000 under 18 year olds. Rates of young people in treatment for substance misuse were higher than that reported across Wiltshire over the same time period in Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Mere, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Warminster, Westbury and Wilton community areas.
Definition: The number of young persons aged under 18 years of age who were active in substance misuse treatment between 2016/17-2018/19 expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons aged under 18 under years.
Data Source and Time Period: ILLY Care Path Young Persons Substance Misuse Data, Motiv8 Young Persons Substance Misuse Service, 2016/17 - 2018/19.
Adults aged 18 years and over in treatment for substance misuse
Alcohol and drugs misuse negatively impacts on both physical and mental health and can have damaging effects on individuals, families and communities. In 2018/19, the rate of adults (aged 18 years and over) accessing treatment for substance misuse (including both drug and alcohol misuse) stood at 29 per 10,000 persons aged 18 and over. Rates of adults in treatment for substance misuse were higher than that reported across Wiltshire in Calne, Chippenham, Melksham, Salisbury and Trowbridge community areas.
Definition: The number of adults aged 18 years and over who were active in substance misuse treatment in 2018/19 expressed as a rate per 10,000 persons aged 18 years and over.
Data Source and Time Period: National Drug Treatment Monitoring Service (NDTMS) Adult Substance Misuse Data, Turning Point Adult Substance Misuse Service, 2018/19.
Alcohol related hospital admissions
Excessive alcohol consumption has consequences for both an individuals health (in the form of liver or cardiovascular disease, accidents or injuries, poor mental health or wellbeing) and can negatively impact on wider society by contributing to family breakdown and anti-social behaviour. One measure that can be used as an indicator of the extent of alcohol misuse is the number of alcohol related hospital admissions. In 2017/18, the rate of alcohol related hospital admissions in Wiltshire stood at 1,827 per 100,000 persons, significantly lower than the rate of 2,227 per 100,000 persons reported nationally. Rates of alcohol related hospital admissions were higher than that reported across Wiltshire in Bradford on Avon, Calne, Corsham, Devizes, Melksham, Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade, Salisbury and Wilton community areas.
Definition: Admissions to hospital where the primary diagnosis or any of the secondary diagnoses are an alcohol-attributable code i.e. contained a diagnosis that was related, but not wholly attributable to, alcohol. Children aged less than 16 years were only included for low birth weight. Directly age standardised rate per 100,000 population (standardised to the European Standard Population).
Data Source and Time Period: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital, 2017/18 and Mid Year Population Estimates, Office for National Statistics, 2017.