HC Deb 18 July 2003 vol 409 c986W
Mrs. Calton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2003,Official Report, column 647W, on robbery/ burglary victims, how many injuries were sustained in muggings and robberies in each year. [125796]

Ms Blears

Data on the number of injuries sustained in muggings and robberies in the specified years is not published. However, the British Crime Survey (BCS) is able to provide trend estimates of the number of incidents of mugging and robbery in England and Wales (Table A), additionally the BCS also collects information on the proportion of violent incidents involving injury (Table B). Violent incidents from the BCS can be classified into a violence typology comprising domestic, mugging, stranger and acquaintance incidents. Violent crime from the BCS can also be separated into robbery, wounding, common assault, and snatch theft. The information regarding injuries sustained for this latter breakdown is not published prior to 2001–02 BCS interviews. Mugging is a popular rather than a legal term, comprising robbery, attempted robbery and snatch theft from the person. The BCS does not cover incidents against those aged under 16, nor those not living in private households.

Table A: Trends in BCS incidents of robbery and mugging, 1998 BCS, 2000 BCS and 2001–02 BCS interviews
Thousand
1997 1999 2001–02 BCS interviews
Robbery 339 413 362
Mugging 423 472 441

Table B: Injuries sustained in muggings (1998 BCS, 2000 BCS and 2001–02 BCS interviews) and robbery (2001–02 BCS interviews)
Percentage
Mugging Robbery
1998 2000 2001–02 2001–02
No physical injury 57 71 70 63
Minor bruise/black eye 24 14 15 18
Severe bruising 14 12 17 21
Scratches 7 10 6 7
Cuts 12 4 11 13
Broken bones 1 1 2 2

Notes:

  1. 1. Results for muggings should be treated with caution due to the small number of incidents.
  2. 2. More than one type of physical injury may have occurred.
  3. 3. More than one response was allowed.

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