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Statistical Bulletin CrJ/2002/1 Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2001
4. Crimes recorded by the police
General
4.1 The number of cases recorded in the "non-sexual crimes of violence" group increased by 402 (2 per cent) to total 23,800 in 2001 ( Table 1). The number of crimes of indecency recorded by the police in 2001 increased by 4 per cent to number 6,000 but remained well below levels observed in 1997 and 1998. The number of recorded crimes of dishonesty (consisting mainly of housebreaking and theft) - which now accounts for around three-fifths of all recorded crimes - decreased by 8 per cent to 239,900, a decrease of 21,000 cases. Crimes in the group "fire-raising and vandalism etc." rose by 11,700, an increase of 14 per cent between 2000 and 2001, largely due to improved recording of minor vandalisms by Strathclyde police. The "other crimes" group, including drugs crimes and crimes against public justice, rose by 6,600 to 56,500, an increase of 13 per cent. Property-related crime (e.g. housebreaking, theft, fire-raising and vandalism) has fallen as a proportion of all recorded crime; in 2001 the proportion was 80 per cent compared with 90 per cent in 1992. The proportion attributable to non-sexual crimes of violence in 2001, at 5.6 per cent, was slightly above the level of 4.1 per cent in 1992, as was the proportion for crimes of indecency (1.4 per cent compared with 1.1 per cent in 1992). The "other crimes" group has accounted for an increasing proportion over the decade, rising from 5 per cent in 1992 to 13 per cent in 2001, reflecting the trends in recorded drugs crimes over this period.
Chart 3 Crimes recorded in 2001 by crime group
Violence
4.2 The number of crimes recorded in 2001 in the non-sexual crimes of violence group increased by 2 per cent compared with 2000. Recorded cases of "serious assault etc" increased by 5 per cent (333 cases) in 2001 to 7,300. The number of cases of "handling an offensive weapon" increased to 8,700 in 2001 (an increase of 6 per cent) following an increase of 3 per cent in 2000. These trends reflect the high visibility pro-active policing of campaigns such as the "Spotlight on Safer Streets" taking place in the latter three months of 2001, the "Safer Scotland" campaign and the "Safer Central" campaign. The number of recorded cases of "robbery" decreased by 4 per cent to number 4,200 in 2001. The "other" sub-group within non-sexual crimes of violence decreased in 2001 (down 7 per cent from its relatively high level in 2000 ).
Indecency
4.3 The number of crimes of indecency recorded by the police rose by 233 cases to 6,000 in 2001, an increase of 4 per cent. Recorded cases of sexual assault increased by 5 per cent during 2001 to total 1,900. All crimes within this sub-group recorded an increase; the number of cases of rape increased by 5 per cent (compared with a 5 per cent decrease in 2000) and cases of assault with intent to rape and indecent assault rose by 15 per cent and 3 per cent respectively. The number of crimes of lewd and indecent behaviour rose by under 20 cases (1 per cent) in 2001 to stand at 2,400.
4.4 The "other" sub-group within crimes of indecency increased by 8 per cent. Table B below provides more detailed information on the number of crimes of indecency over the ten year period 1992-2001. This shows that within the "other" sub-group, numbers decreased in 2 out of the 5 categories.
Dishonesty
4.5 The overall number of crimes of dishonesty decreased for the second consecutive year (by 8 per cent), to stand at 239,900 cases in 2001. There were decreases in all categories. Within the housebreaking category there was an 8 per cent fall, from 48,700 in 2000 to 44,900 in 2001. With effect from 1994 the figures for recorded crimes of housebreaking have been further sub-divided to distinguish between domestic and non-domestic premises. The decrease in 2001 was reflected in the decreases in both domestic and non-domestic premises. The total number of housebreakings during 2001 still remains at less than half the number recorded in the early 1990s. There has been a greater proportionate reduction in the number of housebreakings involving non-domestic premises; 58 per cent between 1994 and 2001 compared with 43 per cent over the same time period for domestic premises. In 2001, as in 2000, 67 per cent of all housebreakings involved domestic property (e.g. houses, garages, garden sheds) compared with 60 per cent in 1994 and 1995. Tables C and D below provide more details.
4.6 Recorded cases of theft from a motor vehicle by opening a lockfast place continued to fall in 2001 and now stands at 31,300, the lowest such number since figures were first separately identified in 1992. The number of recorded cases of theft by opening a lockfast place (excluding motor vehicles) fell from 11,300 in 2000 to 8,500 in 2001, a decrease of 25 per cent. The number of recorded cases of theft of a motor vehicle decreased by 12 per cent in 2001 to 23,200, the lowest level since 1987. This may reflect, in part, the improved security devices fitted to motor vehicles and increased awareness within communities regarding the importance of the security of personal property. In 2001 motor vehicle-related theft accounted for around a quarter of the total number of crimes of dishonesty. In earlier years this proportion was around one-third. Information on the number of thefts from a motor vehicle by opening a lockfast place have been collected since 1992 and Table E below provides more detailed information.
4.7 The number of recorded cases of fraud decreased in 2001 to 17,400, a decrease of 18 per cent. The other crimes of dishonesty sub-category, which, in the main, consists of cases of reset, forgery and uttering and crimes recorded in the category "Prevention of Crimes and Vagrancy", decreased by 11 per cent in 2001 to 8,400.
Fire-raising, vandalism etc.
4.8 Recorded cases of vandalism etc. increased by 14 per cent (11,300) to 92,000 in 2001. The number of recorded crimes of fire-raising increased by 410 (17 per cent) to total 2,800 in 2001. A large part of this increase is explained by improved recording by Strathclyde police of minor vandalisms, as recommended by an HMIC inspection which highlighted an under recording of minor crimes in Strathclyde.
Other crimes
4.9 The number of recorded cases in the "other crimes" group rose by 13 per cent, to 56,500 in 2001. The overall increase relates mainly to a rise in the number of drugs crimes, which increased by 4,700 to total 36,200 in 2001, an increase of 15 per cent. Within the drugs group, recorded cases of supply and possession with intent to supply rose by 17 per cent from 8,600 in 2000 to 10,100 in 2001 and recorded cases of possession increased by 15 per cent from 22,200 in 2000 to 25,600 in 2001. These changes reflect policing decisions to pro-actively target drugs crimes. The number of crimes recorded of illegal importation of drugs rose from 1 in 2000 to 4 in 2001. Figures for these crimes are subject to considerable annual fluctuation. Table F below provides further details.
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