Rupert Matthews’ Crime Claims Don’t Survive Contact with the Facts
Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire and Rutland, recently suggested that Britain was “generally a law-abiding society” from the 1890s to the 1990s – implying that crime is somehow worse today. It’s the sort of nostalgic soundbite that plays well on talk radio, but it collapses the moment you look at the evidence.
Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire and Rutland who defected from Conservative to Reform UK,
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) August 4, 2025
"We got used to living in this country to living in generally a law abiding society from 1890s to 1990s, people were generally law abiding"
1890s:… pic.twitter.com/GeLuSUu2AZ
Britain’s Past Wasn’t ‘Law-Abiding’ – It Was Just Less Honest About Crime
The 1890s that Matthews romanticises were defined by mass poverty, child labour, gang violence and rampant theft in rapidly growing cities. There was no modern police force as we know it, and much crime simply went unrecorded.
From the 1950s to the 1980s, Britain was hardly a safe haven either. This period saw:
- Organised crime syndicates and protection rackets operating openly.
- Football hooliganism so notorious it dominated headlines and international policing discussions.
- Terrorist attacks, including IRA bombings across the UK.
- Urban riots, such as Brixton in 1981, were sparked by deep social tensions.
And crucially, overall crime was significantly higher than it is today – particularly violent and property crime.
What the Data Actually Shows
The most reliable long-term measure of crime, the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), is unequivocal:
- Crime peaked in the early 1990s and has been falling ever since.
- Burglary has dropped from roughly 2.5 million cases in 1993 to about 400,000 in 2023.
- Car theft has fallen from around 2.6 million incidents in 1995 to 900,000 in 2023.
- Violent crime, youth offending, and antisocial behaviour have all declined substantially over the past three decades.
These are not disputed figures. They’re drawn from the most robust and consistent dataset available – one specifically designed to account for under-reporting.
Matthews’ Narrative Ignores Reality
Matthews isn’t just wrong; his framing is dangerous. By peddling the idea that Britain is descending into lawlessness, he distracts from the real issues:
- Police funding has been cut by successive Conservative governments.
- The Crown Prosecution Service has been slashed by 25%.
- Court budgets are down 40%, with staffing cut by 30%.
These decisions, not some mythical moral collapse, explain why some crimes – like shoplifting or antisocial behaviour – feel more visible today. The system has been stripped of the resources it needs to respond effectively.
History and Data Say Matthews Is Wrong
Matthews’ claim that people were more “law-abiding” before 1990 is not supported by evidence. It’s a recycled political myth, designed to stoke fear rather than solve problems.
The truth is clear: crime is lower today than at its 1990s peak, and if we want safer streets, we need properly funded police, courts, and prosecution services – not empty nostalgia.
