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VIOLENCE IN SCOTLAND: FINDINGS FROM THE 2000 SCOTTISH CRIME SURVEY
CHAPTER TWO: THE EXTENT OF VIOLENT CRIME IN SCOTLAND
INCIDENCE OF VIOLENT CRIME IN SCOTLAND
The estimated total number of crimes involving violence (robbery, assault and snatch thefts) in Scotland in 1999 was 211,400 2. These accounted for one quarter (25%) of all crimes recorded in the 2000 survey. However, as Figure 2.1 shows, the vast majority of crimes in 1999 were against property. The proportion of all SCS offences accounted for by violence has increased since 1995, when these types of crimes accounted for 16% of all crimes reported. To a great extent, this reflects a sharp drop in non-violent crime, although there has also been an increase in violent crime reported to the survey since 1995.
Figure 2.1: Distribution of crimes in Scotland, 1999
Notes
1 Source: 2000 SCS, all victim forms, n = 1,474.
TRENDS IN VIOLENT CRIME
There was a 29% 3 increase in the estimated total number of violent crimes (robbery, assault and snatch theft) (Figure 2.2).
Figure 2.2: Trend in Estimated Total Number of Violent Crimes in Scotland
Notes
- Source 1993 SCS, n=5,030; 1996 SCS, n=5,045; 2000 SCS, n=5059
- In 1992, there were 172, 754 violent crimes (robbery, assault and snatch theft), in 1995 the level dropped to 163,423 and in 1999 it rose to 211,382.
- In 1999 the confidence intervals round this estimate for violent crimes (robbery, assault and snatch theft) were +/- 52,156. Due to the large confidence intervals, the change is not significant.
The upward trend in recorded violence can be partly attributed to a new domestic violence 'screener' question which was incorporated in the survey for the first time in 2000. This had the effect of increasing the number of serious assault cases reported to the 2000 survey by 34% and contributed 10% to the overall increase in violent crime. The increase in violent crimes reported to the survey did not reach statistical significance. However, police recorded crime statistics over the same period also showed an increase in violent crime (16%) suggesting that there has been a real increase. Nevertheless, violent crime in Scotland is still rare, with only 2.8% of the population having experienced such a crime in 1999.
COMPARISON WITH ENGLAND AND WALES
SCS and BCS findings have consistently shown the rate of violent crimes per 10,000 adults to be higher in England and Wales than in Scotland. However, the gap has narrowed between 1995 and 1999 as Figure 2.3 shows. In 1995 the two crime surveys estimated the rate of violent crimes (assault, robbery and snatch theft) per 10,000 adults to be 399 in Scotland and 989 in England and Wales. In 1999 the estimated rate had risen to 514 in Scotland, but had fallen to 773 in England and Wales.
Figure 2.3: Trends in Rates of Violent Crime: Scotland and England and Wales 1992-1999
Note: Source 1993 SCS (all Scotland, weighted data), n=5,030; 1996 SCS (all Scotland, weighted data), n=5,045; 2000 SCS (all Scotland, weighted data), n=5,059); 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000 BCS (weighted data)
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