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Crime Topic Data

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In a national context, recorded crime in the Dorset Council area remains low compared to other police authority areas in England.

Total recorded crime has risen by 2% this year. However, reported anti-social behaviour incidents have decreased by 12% while the number of domestic abuse incidents has increased by 12%.

Data relates to the 2024/25 fiscal year unless stated otherwise

Download this report (PDF)

Dorset Community Safety Partnership Priorities1

  • Sexual Offences
  • Domestic Abuse and Stalking
  • Serious and Public Place Violence
  • Anti-Social Behaviour
  • Rural Crime
  • In 2024-25 there were 4,771 incidents of anti-social behaviour in the Dorset Council area.
  • 76% of these were classified as nuisance, 13% personal and 11% environmental.
  • Weymouth has the highest rate of anti-social behaviour across the Dorset Council area.
  • There were 773 serious sexual offences in the Dorset Council area last year.
  • There were 4,328 domestic abuse incidents in the Dorset Council area last year.

Other Crime

  • Total crimes were slightly higher this year than in the previous year.
  • East Dorset is the area with the lowest crime rate in Dorset and Weymouth and Portland has the highest.
  • Crime is highest in Dorset between May and October each year.
  • In 2023 68% of residents surveyed across Dorset said that they felt safe in their local area after dark.
  • In the past year, residential burglary accounted for 87% of acquisitive crimes, while robbery made up 13%.
  • The highest number of robberies occurred in Weymouth & Portland, whereas the highest burglary rate per household was in West Dorset.
  • Compared to other areas, crime in the Dorset Council area remains low.
Crimes in the Dorset Council Area
Crimes in the Dorset Council Area

Hate Crime4

  • A hate crime or incident is any criminal offence or non-criminal incidence, perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate towards a person’s protected characteristic. There were 75 Hate crime and incidents in 2024/25 up from 27 last year - a 177% increase.
  • The number of religious or racially aggravated crimes has risen in the last three years. There were 132 recorded cases in 2024/25, up from 85 in the last year - a 55% increase.
  • A key focus of local policing on hate crimes is building trust and confidence in reporting, and ensuring that everyone knows how to report a hate crime or incident. Third-party reporting centres and trusted community partners play an important role in this.
  • The council is a member of Prejudice Free Dorset, a partnership group made up of local agencies that seeks to promote inclusive communities and challenge prejudice across Dorset, so everyone can go about their daily lives safely and with confidence5.

Headline Figures

773

Serious sexual offences in Dorset last year

80%

Of sexual assaults are committed against women

4,771

Anti-social behaviour incidents

1 in 7

Of all anti-social behaviour incidents in Dorset occur in Melcombe Regis in Weymouth

4,328

Domestic abuse incidents

2%

Total crime up by

Headline Figures

773

Serious sexual offences in Dorset last year

80%

Of sexual assaults are committed against women

4,771

Anti-social behaviour incidents

1 in 7

Of all anti-social behaviour incidents in Dorset occur in Melcombe Regis in Weymouth

4,328

Domestic abuse incidents

2%

Total crime up by

Sources

14 Reports

Order by: Newest first

12 Related Datasets

Order by: Newest first

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019- National and Dorset Council Ranks

    Published: 03 January 2020

    The English Indices of Deprivation helps identify and prioritise areas to assist the government and other agencies both national and local in narrowing the gap between deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country.

    Downloads: 2689

    Download (Excel)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset East Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset East SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1726

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset West Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset West SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 2287

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Mid Dorset Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Mid Dorset SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1884

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - South East Dorset Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across South East Dorset SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 2318

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset North Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset North SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 2059

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset South Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset South SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1596

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset Council Maps

    Published: 25 November 2019

    The combined map base pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation (IMD) map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture for Dorset. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1326

    Download (PDF)

  • Crime and Anti-social Behaviour types by district 2011-2016

    Published: 12 December 2016

    Summary crime data at Local Authority level.

    Downloads: 1462

    Download (Excel)

  • Crime Data by Main Crime Groups - 2015/2016, Dorset Local Authorities

    Published: 08 December 2016

    2015/2016 crime numbers and crime per 1,000 population by Main Crime Groups (by district).

    Downloads: 1616

    Download (Excel)

  • Domestic Abuse Statistics - Data Tool

    Published: 08 December 2016

    An overview of available statistics and data relating to domestic abuse, for individual Police Force Areas (plus regional and national figures). Raw data available for independent analysis.

    Downloads: 2205

    Download (Website)

  • English Indices of Deprivation 2015

    Published: 30 September 2015

    This English Indices of Deprivation helps identify and prioritise areas to assist the government and other agencies both national and local in narrowing the gap between deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country.

    Downloads: 2882

    Download (Excel)

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