Suffolk saw fewer gun-related crimes last year, despite England and Wales experiencing a third consecutive rise in firearm offences.
The big picture: Suffolk Constabulary recorded eleven firearms offences in the year to March, one less than in the previous year and a 48% drop from the 21 offences in the year to March 2020, before the pandemic.
Why it matters: Gun crime disproportionately impacts young people, with nearly half of victims aged between 10 and 29, despite this group representing less than a quarter of the population.
Zooming out: The UK has one of the world's lowest levels of gun crime. However, while Suffolk's figures have improved, gun crime in England and Wales has increased for the third consecutive year and is now approaching pre-pandemic levels, increasing by more than 400 offences in the last year.
The year also saw a surge in the use of imitation firearms, with 2,719 incidents across England and Wales – a 23% rise on the year before and the highest figure since 2005-06.
Despite that, firearms were discharged during just three offences in Suffolk in the past year.
What they're saying: Simon Foster and Matthew Barber, joint leads on serious violence for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), said: "Any increase in firearms offences is concerning, particularly where they include children and young people."
The Gun Control Network blamed the rise in young victims on youth services collapsing under the previous government.
What's next: Police forces are working to stop the sale of illegal firearms, but technology such as 3D printing is presenting new challenges.
