APPENDIX 9
Additional Memorandum by Mr Colin Greenwood
containing statistics relating to air weapon offences
TABLE 1
|
| Year | Total Airgun Offences*
| Homicide | Serious Woundings
| Slight Woundings |
Criminal Damage |
|
| 1980 | 5,032
| — | 110
| 2,345 | 2,435
|
| 1981 | 5,629
| 1 | 97
| 2,522 | 2,848
|
| 1982 | 5,337
| — | 103
| 2,250 | 2,823
|
| 1983 | 5,474
| — | 103
| 2,274 | 2,977
|
| 1984 | 5,540
| — | 94
| 2,146 | 3,170
|
| 1985 | 6,380
| 1 | 99
| 2,446 | 3,686
|
| 1986 | 5,886
| — | 87
| 1,830 | 3,849
|
| 1987 | 5,172
| — | 124
| 1,734 | 3,188
|
| 1988 | 4,813
| 1 | 125
| 1,576 | 2,964
|
| 1989 | 5,037
| 3 | 146
| 1,701 | 3,042
|
| 1990 | 5,380
| 1 | 191
| 1,853 | 3,351
|
| 1991 | 5,464
| 2 | 192
| 1,545 | 3,501
|
| 1992 | 6,097
| — | 207
| 1,634 | 4,044
|
| 1993 | 6,332
| — | 200
| 1,502 | 4,404
|
| 1994 | 7,155
| — | 207
| 1,504 | 5,223
|
| 1995 | 7,549
| 1 | 185
| 1,343 | 5,717
|
| 1996 | 7,648
| — | 119
| 1,266 | 5,861
|
| 1997 | 7,506
| — | 75
| 1,374 | 5,798
|
|
* A small number of "other" cases are included
in the total but not in subsequent columns.
TABLE 2 OFFENCES INITIALLY RECORDED AS HOMICIDE
|
| Year | Total Homicide
| Homicide Involving Airgun
|
|
| 1980 | 620
| — |
| 1981 | 559
| 1 |
| 1982 | 618
| — |
| 1983 | 550
| — |
| 1984 | 621
| — |
| 1985 | 616
| 1* |
| 1986 | 661
| — |
| 1987 | 688
| — |
| 1988 | 624
| 1 |
| 1989 | 641
| 3 |
| 1990 | 669
| 1 |
| 1991 | 725
| 2 |
| 1992 | 687
| — |
| 1993 | 670
| — |
| 1994 | 724
| — |
| 1995 | 754
| — |
| 1996 | 681
| — |
| 1997 | 738
| — |
|
| Total | 11,846
| 9* |
|
* The case of homicide in 1985 resulted from an airgun being
used as a blunt instrument, not fired.
TABLE 3 RECORDED OFFENCES OF VIOLENCE INVOLVING INJURY
|
| Year | Violence Against
The Person*
| Offences
Involving Airguns
| %
involving airguns
|
|
| 1980 | 95,819
| 2,455 | 2.6
|
| 1981 | 98,762
| 2,620 | 2.6
|
| 1982 | 107,070
| 2,353 | 2.2
|
| 1983 | 109,578
| 2,377 | 2.2
|
| 1984 | 112,405
| 2,240 | 2.0
|
| 1985 | 119,562
| 2,546 | 2.0
|
| 1986 | 122,959
| 1,917 | 1.6
|
| 1987 | 138,114
| 1,858 | 1.4
|
| 1988 | 154,451
| 1,701 | 1.1
|
| 1989 | 172,786
| 1,847 | 1.3
|
| 1990 | 179,826
| 2,044 | 1.4
|
| 1991 | 185,658
| 1,737 | 0.9
|
| 1992 | 195,761
| 1,841 | 0.9
|
| 1993 | 200,128
| 1,702 | 0.8
|
| 1994 | 212,177
| 1,711 | 0.8
|
| 1995 | 204,840
| 1,529 | 0.7
|
| 1996 | 239,342
| 1,385 | 0.6
|
| 1997 | 230,827
| 1,449 | 0.5
|
|
* Includes homicide, attempted homicide, serious wounding
and slight wounding.
AIRGUN INJURIES CAUSED BY AGE OF OFFENDER IN 1971
|
| Age | Fatal
| Serious | Slight
|
|
| 10-13 | —
| 6 | 112
|
| 14-16 | —
| 30 | 312
|
| 17-20 | —
| 10 | 74
|
|
Source: Home Office Criminal Statistics.
|
