Covids Costs

We have always known that as well as the obvious economic costs of the Covid-19  ....

Shops and Businesses Closing In Large
Numbers Are Just One Obvious Covid Impact

.... There would also be hidden costs (and it has to be said, some benefits), to this disaster.

Costs such as:

• The impacts on the mental health of those locked down. Would suicide rates climb?
• The long-term economic changes caused by around 25 per cent of the working population 'working from home'  - from productivity impacts, to the loss of business to city centres e.g. Restaurants and shops losing footfall/business.
• Whether public transport usage (Trains and buses), could recover after such a long decline in passenger numbers, as well as people using cars again for social distancing reasons.
• Would there be a rise in newer crimes such as attempted email and phone message fraud attempts?
• Would there be a baby boom, 9 months after the first lock-down, and again after subsequent lock-downs.

Also one of the questions was how this would impact general crime rates .... from domestic violence (femicide rates had spiked in other analogous circumstances), to burglary rates. For instance, at first glance, you would expect that with more people at home for the majority of the day, burglary rates would drop, while domestic violence against women would be up.

UK CRIME COMPARISONS 2019 AND 2020

However, despite some evidence from the past, no one knew for sure. Now the Office for National Statistics (ONS), has released the first crime figures for England and Wales (Scotland of course now goes its own way e.g. National census excluded the Scots who will have theirs next year). These figures are not as accurate at the usual Crime Survey for England and Wales - but as that is usually obtained via face-to-face interviews with the public, its been undertaken via telephone calls for at least 12 months, and has not released its findings.

So these ONS crime figures are all we currently have, but nonetheless make interesting reading:

• There have been reports that identity theft/fraud has become more of an issue, with people more responsive to their personal emails and phones while at home .... a Covid Minus.
• There has been a rise in drug busts, as police have been able to track drug houses and dealers far easier, with them largely confined to their houses or limited to where they can deal on the streets. Extensive use of Stop and Search powers have allowed these dealers to be caught in larger numbers .... so actually a Covid Plus.  
• Sadly, as predicted instances of Domestic abuse against women have spiked (with the number of police interventions doubling), but so far no increase in murder rates has been reported  .... still, a big Covid Minus.
• Similarly, violent crimes actually rose (fuelled by the domestic violence rises) .... another Covid Minus.
• Robbery rates dipped (presumably less victims about), and are still running lower than in 2019 ... a Covid Plus.
• Thefts (inc Burglary), rates have  dipped (presumably less empty houses about), and are still running lower than in 2019 ... a Covid Plus.
• Cases of Criminal damage, fell but recent rates recovered to match those on 2019.
• Sexual offences also showed a sharp dip, but again have risen to 2019 levels again.
• They say that justice being seen to be done, is an important feature of a law abiding society - but there is now have a record backlog of 57,000 cases in the Crown Courts. This is something the Ministry of Justice must address very quickly if confidence in the law isn't to wane further.

Guard Dogs Were In Big Demand During The Covid Crisis ...

One surprising crime figure being reported is that for dog-napping. Apparently a demand for four-legged friends to get us through the year, has led to a sharp spike in dog thefts .... who would have guessed?

We will undoubtedly be living through the impacts of this pandemic for a decade or more, with some issues such as mental health and violence victims not ever shaking these impacts off until those impacted have died ....