Kingswood and Fishponds Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

The balance between property and violent crime in Kingswood and Fishponds during December 2023 reveals a pattern that may reflect seasonal dynamics and local characteristics. With a total crime rate of 5.8 per 1,000 residents—19.4% below the UK average—this built-up area within South Gloucestershire shows a distinct profile compared to national trends. Violent crimes, including violence and sexual offences, accounted for 45.0% of all reported incidents, significantly outpacing property crimes (310 cases, 34.0% of total). This 20% disparity between violent and property crime suggests a focus on interpersonal conflict and public safety challenges, potentially linked to the area’s mix of residential and commercial zones. Seasonal factors may have amplified this trend: December’s dark evenings, Christmas shopping activity, and holiday-related absences could have created conditions conducive to confrontations in public spaces. Violence and sexual offences in the area matched the UK average rate of 2.6 per 1,000, indicating that local efforts to address this category have kept it in line with national benchmarks. However, other categories such as anti-social behaviour (46% below UK average) and vehicle crime (33% below UK average) suggest effective policing or community measures in these areas. The contrast with the UK’s higher rates for public order offences (25% above) highlights a unique local context—tied to the area’s demographic mix or local initiatives targeting disruptive behaviour. As December’s festive season wanes, this balance may shift, but the data underscores the need for continued attention to violent crime prevention strategies in Kingswood and Fishponds.

December 2023 saw notable shifts in crime patterns, with violent crimes maintaining their dominance while certain categories showed marked changes. The most significant increase was in drug-related offences, which rose by 33.3% (from 9 to 12 cases), potentially reflecting seasonal trends in illicit activity or unmet demand during the holiday period. Other theft also rose by 12.3% (57 to 64 cases), possibly linked to increased retail activity during the Christmas shopping season. Conversely, bicycle theft dropped by 55.6% (from 9 to 4 cases), a decline that may be attributed to reduced outdoor activity during colder weather or improved security measures. Possession of weapons fell by 50.0% (from 10 to 5 cases), a decrease that could indicate successful policing efforts or seasonal inactivity in certain criminal networks. The violent crime category, while slightly below the UK average (2.6 per 1,000 vs. UK’s 2.6 per 1,000), remained the largest single category, accounting for over 40% of all reported crimes. This dominance of violence and sexual offences—despite being on par with national rates—suggests that local factors, such as the area’s mix of residential and commercial spaces, may contribute to persistent risks of interpersonal conflict. Residents may find the 5.8 per 1,000 crime rate contextually useful: while lower than the UK average, the proportion of violent crime highlights the importance of community engagement in addressing root causes such as alcohol-related disputes or youth-related incidents.

The crime rate in Kingswood and Fishponds for December 2023 (5.8 per 1,000 residents) marked a 7.2% decrease from the previous month’s rate of 6.3 per 1,000, reflecting a slight improvement in overall safety. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately 30 crimes per day, a figure that contextualises the pace of incidents in a built-up area. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 172 residents, a monthly exposure rate that is lower than the UK average, though this figure cannot be directly compared due to the absence of national daily or monthly exposure data. The population context of 156,958 residents means that even small shifts in crime rates can have measurable impacts on community safety perceptions. The decline from November to December suggests that targeted interventions, seasonal lulls in certain crime types (such as bicycle theft), or broader environmental factors (such as reduced foot traffic during holidays) may have contributed to the downward trend. However, the persistence of violent crimes at 45% of total incidents—despite the overall rate decrease—indicates that local challenges remain. This contrast between the overall rate improvement and the continued prominence of violent crime underscores the need for tailored strategies that address both the quantity and nature of incidents in the area.