This paper summarises the contribution that the British Crime Survey (BCS) has made to our understanding of crime trends in England and Wales. It describes the survey’s origins and development, and summarises its methodology. It presents key findings about crime trends since 1981, and describes the contribution made by the BCS to our understanding both of the direction of crime trends and some of the factors responsible for these trends. Strengths and weaknesses of the survey are considered, along with its prospects for the future.