"...despite the decrease in the incidence of crime overall, crime   
   remains higher for disabled people compared with non-disabled people of   
   the same age."   
      
      
   In September this year, the Equality and Human Rights Commission   
   released a follow up report on crime conducted towards disabled people,   
   a report based upon the annual Crime Survey for England and Wales. The   
   report follows on from one previously released, where an average of   
   77,000 hate crimes were estimated to have occurred during the period   
   2007-08 to 2009-10.   
      
      
   The report states that the total incidence of hate crime in England and   
   Wales has declined at a time when the overall crime rate has also   
   fallen. However, despite the decrease in the incidence of crime overall,   
   crime remains higher for disabled people compared with non-disabled   
   people of the same age. In England and Wales, more disabled than   
   non-disabled people in every age group had experienced crime in the   
   previous 12 months before the study. Similarly, in Scotland more   
   disabled people than non-disabled people aged 16-44 or 65-74 had   
   experienced crime in the previous 12 months.   
      
   There had been some confusion over whether this report also indicates a   
   fall in estimated hate crimes from 77,000 in 2009-10 to around 56,000   
   per year. The EHRC indeed reports an average of 56,000 incidents of   
   disability hate crime committed per year, however, the margin of error   
   in the study is reported as being around 13,000 cases either way. So,   
   rather than giving us an estimate of 56,000 cases per year, the EHRC has   
   simply given us a range between 43,000 and 69,000, with 56,000 being the   
   mean of this range. So, the high-end figure of 69,000 still ties in with   
   its previous study on crime towards disabled people, and the many   
   surveys and polls of disabled people that have taken place over the past   
   number of years.   
      
   To clear up any possible future confusion over this report, I contacted   
   the EHRC myself, to clarify what their information actually tells us,   
   and the EHRC kindly responded as below:   
      
   "Thank you for your recent enquiry into the above. It would be a   
   misinterpretation to say that the incidents of disability crime have   
   gone down over the time period in question, and the report is quite   
   upfront about this, as you have said.   
      
      
      
   The aim of the research was to follow up on similar statistical analysis   
   which was conducted in 2013, to see if there had been changes over time.   
   The report faithfully describes all of the findings from this, including   
   ones which were not statistically significant. In line with research   
   best practice, all findings are presented, not just those which   
   demonstrate change of some kind.   
      
      
      
   I don't think the lack of statistical significance in some parts of the   
   findings mean the study is not relevant. Indeed, the absence of   
   statistically significant change is a finding in itself, suggesting   
   perhaps that there has not been dramatic change in the incidence of   
   disability hate crime -- either up or down. Also, some of the findings   
   highlight continued high rates of experience of crime and fear of crime   
   amongst particular disabled groups -- young people, for example, and   
   those with mental health conditions. The EHRC believes these are   
   important findings that should be in the public domain."   
      
   Firstly, as we can see, the EHRC suggests that "there has not been   
   dramatic change in the incidence of disability hate crime -- either up   
   or down". Secondly, young disabled people and people with mental health   
   conditions continue to experience not just high levels of fear over   
   crime, but high levels of crime itself.   
      
   I hope that this finally clears up any confusion that may have arisen   
   over this latest round of EHRC figures. As we can see, there has   
   arguably been no real change in the incidence of disability hate crime   
   within the UK for the time period reported, and that information may be   
   important for us to take note of, until more up to date information is   
   obtained.   
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
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