London murder rate halved over 10 years

Crime prevention, faster reponse times and better paramedic treatment highlighted as reasons for reduction Share reddit this Rosa Silverman, Press Association guardian.co.uk, Saturday 7 April 2012 16.40 BST Article history London air amnbulance The London air ambulance has been able to take victims to hospital more rapidly, reducing the number of deaths from attempted murders. Photograph: David Levene for the Observer London's murder rate has fallen steadily over the past decade, according to figures from the Metropolitan Police. There were 222 homicides in 2003, but the figure had dropped to 117 by last year. The latest available figures, from 1 April 2011 to 26 March this year, show 101 homicides being committed in the capital during that time. The decline has been attributed to a combination of successful crime prevention and faster response times from paramedics and other medical staff in treating stabbing and shooting victims. In the past, the role of paramedics was to collect the victim and transport them straight to hospital. Now they are trained to deal with injuries at the scene and begin treatment as soon as they reach the victim's side. Where previously victims would be taken to the nearest casualty ward as a matter of course, they can now be taken to major trauma centres where expert clinicians treat patients around the clock, boosting their survival rate. London's air ambulance is also able to transport victims to hospital speedily and blood transfusions can be performed by medics at the crime scene.