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Decrease in the number of firearm offences recorded by the police during 1997
30/09/1998
Police in Scotland recorded 1,185 crimes and offences involving the alleged use of a firearm in 1997, a decrease of 28 per cent from the 1,649 recorded in 1996.
This, and more information, is detailed in the statistical bulletin Recorded Crimes and Offences Involving Firearms, Scotland, 1997 published today by The Scottish Office.
Recorded crimes and offences
In 1997, firearms were used in six per cent of homicides, three per cent of attempted murders and three per cent of robberies. As in the previous year, less than one per cent of assaults and less than one per cent of vandalism offences recorded involved the use of a firearm.
Type of firearms involved
Airweapons were used in 66 per cent of all firearm offences in 1997 with the actual number of offences involving airweapons decreasing from 1,060 in 1996 to 782 in 1997 (down 26 per cent). Pistols/revolvers were the second most common single category of firearm - used in 12 per cent of all firearms offences in 1997 and five per cent of those offences in which personal injury resulted.
Types of crimes and offences
The number of robberies in which a firearm was used decreased by 39 per cent from 228 in 1996 to 139 in 1997. Similarly the number of assaults in which a firearm was used decreased by 18 per cent from 307 in 1996 to 252 in 1997. These decreases continue the trend evident in the past two years.
The number of crimes and offences recorded in which a firearm was fired resulting in injury decreased by 36 per cent between 1996 and 1997, totalling 267 in 1997.
The bulletin shows that in 1997 nearly one-third of all firearms offences were vandalism offences - caused, in the main, by an airweapon. Assaults accounted for one-fifth of all offences recorded, reckless conduct offences a further 19 per cent and robberies a further 12 per cent.
Clear - up rates
Forty-six per cent of recorded crimes and offences in which a firearm was used were cleared up in 1997, four percentage points higher than the 42 per cent clear up rate in 1996.
The total number of offences cleared up (in which one or more persons were accused of the offence) decreased by 23 per cent, from 697 offences in 1996 to 540 offences in 1997. The number of offences cleared up in which the main accused was aged between 16 and 20 years decreased by one per cent, whilst the number of offences cleared up in which the main accused was aged 21 or over decreased by 30 per cent to number 226 in 1997. In instances involving young persons aged under 16, the firearm involved in the large majority of offences (95 per cent) was an airweapon.
Location of crimes and offences
In 1997, 30 per cent of firearms offences occurred in a dwelling; a further 35 per cent of offences recorded in 1997 were committed on public highways and one per cent in banks and post offices.
More than half (57 per cent) of all offences in which a firearm was used took place in Strathclyde as did 83 per cent of robberies and 63 per cent of assaults.
Thefts of firearms
During 1997 the police recorded 37 instances in which a firearm other than an airweapon was stolen, a decrease of 44 per cent. The recorded number of thefts of shotguns fell by 35 per cent, from 23 cases in 1996 to 15 cases in 1997.
BACKGROUND
1. The bulletin Recorded Crimes and Offences Involving Firearms, Scotland, 1997 details crimes and offences recorded by the police in which a firearm was alleged to have been used and also the theft of firearms. The bulletin explains that changes in the number of crimes and offences involving firearms recorded by the police do not necessarily reflect changes in the volume of crime committed involving firearms. For a variety of reasons, some crimes and offences involving firearms may not be reported to the police or may not be recorded by them, although the extent of under reporting is likely to vary considerably according to the type of offence. For example, armed robberies are much more likely to be reported to the police than malicious damage caused by the firing of an airweapon.
2. Throughout the bulletin the reference to the 'use' of firearms should be interpreted to mean the 'alleged use'.
3. Copies of the bulletin (CrJ/1998/6 priced £2.00) are available from The Stationery Office Bookstore, 71 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AZ Tel: 0131 - 622 7050.
News Release: 1958/98
30 September 1998