Derbyshire Dales Crime Rate March 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Violence and sexual offences dominated Derbyshire Dales' crime profile in March 2023, accounting for 33.6% of all reported crimes. This category, at 1.6 per 1,000 residents, was 42% below the UK average for the same category, reflecting a marked divergence from national trends. The local crime rate of 4.8 per 1,000 residents placed the area 36.8% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000, highlighting a consistently safer environment compared to the rest of the country. This contrast is particularly striking in property crime categories, where shoplifting (0.2 per 1,000) and vehicle crime (0.2 per 1,000) were 59% and 58% below UK averages respectively. The seasonal shift into spring may have influenced patterns, as lengthening evenings and the clocks changing could alter community activity rhythms. Anti-social behaviour (0.9 per 1,000) and public order offences (0.5 per 1,000) also remained well below UK levels, suggesting a broader trend of lower conflict in public spaces. Burglary (0.4 per 1,000) was 21% above the UK average, a potential indicator of rural vulnerabilities such as isolated homes or agricultural properties. The area's character as a largely rural district likely contributes to these patterns, with fewer urban pressures but unique challenges in securing dispersed populations. This mix of crime types, while generally lower than national benchmarks, underscores the need for targeted approaches to address the specific vulnerabilities identified in the burglary and violent crime categories.

March 2023 saw a significant shift in the crime mix compared to prior months, with violent crimes comprising the largest share of reported incidents (33.6%)—a proportion consistent with the area's historical focus on interpersonal offences. The category of burglary (0.4 per 1,000) stood out as the only crime type above the UK average, with a 21% gap that may reflect the challenges of securing rural properties during the early spring season when agricultural activity increases. Conversely, shoplifting (0.2 per 1,000) and vehicle crime (0.2 per 1,000) were 59% and 58% below UK averages respectively, likely due to the area's lower retail density and reduced traffic volumes typical of non-urban environments. The most striking comparison was in violent crime, where the local rate of 1.6 per 1,000 was 42% below the UK average of 2.7 per 1,000—a disparity that may be partly explained by the area's demographic profile and the absence of high-density nightlife or commercial hubs. Residents might find the low rate of theft from the person (0.0 per 1,000) particularly reassuring, as this category was 100% below the UK average, suggesting a lower risk of street-level victimisation compared to more densely populated regions.

In March 2023, Derbyshire Dales recorded 345 total crimes, translating to an average of 11 crimes per day across the 31-day period. This daily rate is lower than the national average, which would equate to approximately 17 crimes per day in a similarly sized area. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 208 residents—a monthly exposure rate that is significantly lower than the UK average, which typically sees one crime per approximately 130 residents. When considering the population-scaled perspective, the area's 71,757 residents experienced 345 crimes, resulting in a crime rate of 4.8 per 1,000 people. This figure is 36.8% below the UK average of 7.6 per 1,000, a gap that is consistent with the area's rural character and lower population density. The daily crime context provides a tangible measure for residents: for every 1,000 people in the area, there were 4.8 crimes, compared to 7.6 in the UK. This disparity is most pronounced in violent crime, where the local rate was 42% below the UK average, and in shoplifting, where the gap reached 59%. These comparisons highlight the effectiveness of local policing strategies in maintaining low crime levels, particularly in categories that are typically more prevalent in urban centres. The monthly exposure figure of 1-in-208 residents offers a concrete benchmark for understanding the relative safety of the area compared to national standards.