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On 23 October 2008, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee published a report which examines how effectively the Home Office is tackling violent crime.
The report notes that whilst violent crime has fallen in recent years - in line with crime generally - more serious violent offences such as homicide and wounding have not fallen as quickly. The report emphasises that these types of crime cause the most harm to individuals and communities.
In addition, it highlights a several disturbing trends. For instance, the number of recorded crimes involving a firearm doubled between 1998–99 and 2005–06, as did the number of 15–17 year olds convicted of carrying a knife in public.
The fall in crime and violence overall has enabled the Home Office to concentrate on tackling more serious violence and gang-related activities. However, the report argues that the department’s efforts have been undermined by poor distribution of funding and its mixed performance in spreading good practice. The Home Office’s key delivery bodies usually receive funding for tackling violence late in the financial year and money is often provided as a one off and on a short term basis. This approach results in expenditure being targeted at the consequences of violence and not its causes.