SIR: Your paper's comment that social factors have resulted in a greater willingness to report violent crime - thus accounting for the rise - is a valid one, although it fails to address the wider issue.

When we have a reduction in crime, Government ministers swamp the media all claiming credit for the fall. However, when the figures aren't so good they refuse to shoulder any blame. I'm afraid they can't have it both ways.

This Government has yet to provide any solutions to a problem which clearly isn't going to disappear. Despite allowing crime to double since 1979, and convictions to fall, this Government refuses to tackle the underlying causes of crime, deal with anti-social behaviour in neighbourhoods or overhaul the juvenile justice system.

John Major promised before the last election to provide one thousand extra police officers and vowed to "always be tough on crime".

As he has failed to keep either of these promises, I suppose we can regard this as another case of the Conservative Government lying to us before the election.

Mrs F Ferguson

Dentdale Close, Bolton

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