This page is from APP, the official source of professional practice for policing.
The Home Office definition of gun crime, sometimes referred to as the Crimsec 30 definition, is set out below:
Gun crime is crime (violence against the person, robbery, burglary and sexual offences) in which guns are taken to be involved in an offence. A gun is taken to be involved in an offence if it is fired, used as a blunt instrument, or used as a threat.
Where the victim is convinced of the presence of a firearm, even if it is concealed, and there is evidence of the suspect’s intention to create this impression, then the incident counts. Both real, and fake firearms, and air weapons are counted within this category.
Reference material related to gun crime is listed below. This reference material should be read in conjunction with existing APP, and does not replace or extend existing APP, specifically that on armed policing, investigation, major investigation and public protection, and critical incident management. Neither does it replace or extend the NPCC (2021) Major Crime Investigation Manual (MCIM). Where crossovers exist, please refer to the relevant existing APP.
Gun crime resources
Reference material
- Guide on Firearms Licensing Law 2015
- firearms-related crime scenes
- victims of shootings
- witness issues
- deactivated weapons
- antique firearms
- sentencing guidelines
- supply and trafficking
- response and primary investigation
- gun crime offenders
- precursor events
- gun surrender programmes
- firearms and vulnerability
- hoarders
- lost or stolen firearms
- firearms licensing, reviews and revocations
- British armed forces’ firearms and ammunitions
- National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS)
- glossary of firearm terminology
- references