This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Scottish Crime Survey
21/12/2004
A survey of people's experience of crime in Scotland
suggests that just over one million crimes were committed
against individuals and households in 2002.
The sixth Scottish Crime Survey (SCS) asked 5,041 adults
about their experiences and perceptions of crime.
It compares the experience of crime in 2002 with the
figures estimated for 1999, as well as from 1992.
Some of the main findings are:
- Estimates from the SCS suggest that just over one
million incidents of the crimes asked about were
committed against individuals and households in
Scotland in 2002. This represents an increase of 30 per
cent from the number of crimes estimated for 1999, but
is very similar to the estimate for 1992
- There was no statistically significant change in
the incidence of violent crime (robbery and assault)
between 1999 and 2002. However, there was a significant
increase of 46 per cent between 1992 and 2002. This was
the result of a 125 per cent increase in petty assault.
Serious assault, in contrast, decreased by 38 per cent
over the same period
- The 68 per cent rise in vandalism between 1999 and
2002 is due to a rise in both vandalism against motor
vehicles and vandalism against other private property.
Although there has undoubtedly been a genuine increase,
there is some evidence to suggest that this might
include a greater proportion of trivial vandalism
incidents reported to the SCS than was the case in
previous survey sweeps
- The other large increases from 1999 were in bicycle
theft which increased by 62 per cent and 'other
household theft' - theft from a house, garden or garage
which didn't involved a forced entry - which increased
by 81 per cent
- There was no significant change in the incidence of
housebreaking between 1999 and 2002. However it has
shown a significant decline over the 10 years from 1992
to 2002, falling by 51 per cent. The definition of
housebreaking includes both attempted and successful
entry. The proportion of housebreaking incidents that
has involved successful entry has also decreased over
time, from 69 per cent in 1992 to 54 per cent in
2002
The SCS provides an index of crime in Scotland which
complements the official police recorded crime statistics
by estimating the extent of crimes which are experienced by
households and individuals, whether or not they are
reported to, or recorded by, the police.
A fundamental review of the design, content and
management of the SCS was commissioned by the Executive in
February 2003.
The findings of this review led to the launch of the
larger Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey (SCVS) in
June this year.
The SCVCS represents a major shift in design,
methodology and sample size from previous surveys. An
annual sample of 27,500 adults (aged 16 or over) are
interviewed over the telephone rather than face-to-face and
data collection is continuous.