The number of homicides in the north last year dropped by 50 percent over the previous 12 months, the latest PSNI figures reveal.
Recorded crime statistics show that between May 2022 to April last year 24 people died as a result of homicide.
Over an equivalent period up to April this year the homicide rate dropped to 12 – representing a 50 percent decrease.
Overall recorded crime across the north has decreased by more than 8,800 incidents, or 7.9 percent, compared with the previous 12 months.
In total there were 102,903 crimes recorded between May last year and April this year.
Police say the levels recorded over the last year are the lowest since lockdown restrictions were put in place in 2020 and 2021.
Other forms of serious crime also decreased, including stalking and harassment, which fell by more than 26 percent.
There was a drop from over 13,700 incidents between May 2022 – April 2023, to around 10,000 over a similar 12-month period up to April this year.
Incidents of rape have also shown a drop of more than 7 percent, with 1,176 reports made from May last year up to April.
Other sexual offences are down by 4.4 percent to 2,846 since last May.
While the overall reporting trend is down, some areas of serious crime showed an increase, including drug trafficking, which showed a 14.4 percent increase to 1,199 incidents between May 2023 and April this year.
Possession of weapons offences were up from 1,230 between May 2022 – April 2023 to 1,325 in the 12 months ending in April – a 7.7 percent increase.
