On Wednesday, the BBC's Cracking Crime day is focusing on crime throughout the United Kingdom.

We are featuring the stories of victims of crime and some of the people who try to combat it.

For Cracking Crime day in Northern Ireland, we will be talking to people who have experienced crime at first hand.

It may have been burglary, car theft, fraud, a mugging, or the many other sorts of "ordinary" crime.

BBC Cracking Crime is featuring special coverage on the internet as well as programmes on television and radio.

Website links

On BBC Northern Ireland television, Chief Constable Hugh Orde will be answering questions from the public in his first major interview since taking up his new job.

To e-mail your questions now click on the Ask Hugh Orde link on this page.

From the BBC Cracking Crime website, you can enter your postcode on a clickable map to see what the latest crime figures are for your area.

If you have a story to tell about how crime has affected your life - and perhaps how others can learn from it - get in touch with our Cracking Crime team right away.

Click here to find out how you can take part in Cracking Crime Day

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One fifth of households in Northern Ireland experienced a crime last year, according to the latest figures.

Young men aged 16-24 were the most likely victims of violent crime with women aged 75 and over the least likely victims in the year up to August 2001.

Figures also show that 'non-Troubles' levels of crime remain lower than those experienced in England and Wales.

The figures are contained in a bulletin based on a 2001 victims of crime survey which was released by the Northern Ireland Office on Friday.

More than 3,000 adults aged 16 and over were interviewed about crimes against either themselves or household members between 1 September 2000 and 31 August 2001.

Key findings

Some 19.7% of Northern Ireland households experienced a crime during that period, three-quarters of the rate in England and Wales during 2000 (26.8%).

For most property offences, Northern Ireland's victimisation rates during 2000/01 were lower than in England and Wales during 2000. However, the rates for violent offences were similar.

Between 1997 and 2000/01, vehicle-related theft decreased from 8.7% to 6.5% of households. When vandalism is included, however, a tenth (10.6%) of such households were victims of a vehicle-related crime during 2000/01.

During 2000/01, the risk of becoming a victim of a crime was higher in Belfast (28%) than in east (21%) or west (14%) Northern Ireland.

Between 1997 and 2000/01, the risk of a Belfast household becoming a victim of vehicle vandalism increased from 5.7% to 9.6%.

Burglary was most likely to affect homes where the heads of household were aged 16-24 (6.3%). Those with a head of household aged 65-74 had the lowest burglary victimisation rate (0.9%).

Vehicle-related thefts were also more likely to affect households owning three or more vehicles (15.0%).

Young men aged 16-24 were the most likely victims of violent crime in Northern Ireland during 2000/01 (16.6%). Those least likely to be victims were women aged 75 and over (below 0.1%).

Equivalent

The bulletin focuses on victimisation rates in Northern Ireland, England and Wales for property crimes, including vehicle-related theft, domestic burglary, vandalism and household theft.

It also takes into consideration violent crimes such as common assault, wounding and mugging.

Previously conducted in 1994/95 and 1998, the survey closely mirrors the format and the questions of the British Crime Survey (BCS), the equivalent for England and Wales.

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Taking part in the BBC's Cracking Crime Day on 18 September

If you are a victim of a crime we want to hear what you have to say, or if you have a story about how crime in your area has been cracked, let us know.

Call us on 02890 338394 to tell us your story.

Write to: Cracking Crime Day, BBC Northern Ireland, Broadcasting House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast BT2 8HQ.

Or use this form to e-mail your response.

Send us your comments: Name: Your E-mail Address: Country: Comments:

Disclaimer: The BBC will put up as many of your comments as possible but we cannot guarantee that all e-mails will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments that are published.