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Social Justice
a Scotland where everyone matters
Indicators of Progress 2003
Milestone 26: Reducing crime rates in disadvantaged areas
The Scottish Executive currently receives data on crimes and offences that allows for the presentation of information at Local Authority level. The Scottish Executive and the Police are currently considering the cost and feasibility of providing this information for smaller areas in future.
This milestone is currently measured by three indicators taken from the central recorded crime statistical collection that show the percentage change between 1999 and 2002, in crimes against the person, crimes against property and crimes relating to drugs. The information records those crimes reported to and then recorded by the Police.
Scotland and local authority level recorded crime
The information available shows that across Scotland, the total number of crimes per 10,000 people fell from 859 in 1999 to 845 in 2002.
It is notable that of the 8 authorities with the highest per capita crime rates in 1999, 6 saw a reduction in crime rates by 2002 (Table 26a).
Between 1999 and 2002 there has been a 4 per cent increase in the number of crimes against the person; a 7 per cent decrease in the number of crimes against property; and a 27 per cent increase in the number of crimes relating to drugs in Scotland. In general, the increase in drugs crimes reflects the success of police efforts, including the Drugs Enforcement Agency, against drugs.
There are considerable differences by local authority with 6 local authorities showing an increase of over 50 per cent in the number of recorded crimes relating to drugs, reflecting the success of local police campaigns against drugs.
Background data
Table 26a: Changes in recorded crime figures in local authority areas
Council area | Percentage change 1999 to 2002 | Total Crimes per 10,000 population in 1999 (2) | Total Crimes per 10,000 population in 2002 (3) |
Crimes against the person (1) | Crimes against property | Crimes relating to drugs |
Aberdeen City | -5 | -17 | 28 | 1,519 | 1,364 |
Aberdeenshire | -11 | -20 | 6 | 467 | 393 |
Angus | 22 | -5 | 7 | 601 | 580 |
Argyll & Bute | 11 | -11 | 38 | 459 | 460 |
Clackmannanshire | 45 | 13 | 51 | 560 | 708 |
Dumfries & Galloway | -5 | 20 | 11 | 573 | 679 |
Dundee City | -5 | 2 | 58 | 1,193 | 1,216 |
East Ayrshire | -7 | 5 | 23 | 733 | 790 |
East Dunbartonshire | 9 | -23 | 62 | 501 | 433 |
East Lothian | -12 | -1 | 144 | 500 | 536 |
East Renfrewshire | -8 | -18 | -5 | 530 | 444 |
Edinburgh, City of | 1 | -8 | 32 | 1,216 | 1,176 |
Eilean Siar | -7 | 48 | 13 | 188 | 275 |
Falkirk | 16 | -7 | 22 | 649 | 646 |
Fife | 18 | 4 | 29 | 768 | 822 |
Glasgow City | 0 | -11 | 20 | 1,521 | 1,454 |
Highland | 11 | 3 | 11 | 548 | 592 |
Inverclyde | -2 | -13 | 49 | 904 | 917 |
Midlothian | -8 | -1 | 36 | 636 | 652 |
Moray | 23 | -21 | 13 | 561 | 497 |
North Ayrshire | 5 | 10 | 46 | 683 | 791 |
North Lanarkshire | 18 | -10 | 43 | 732 | 726 |
Orkney Islands | -21 | 11 | -29 | 193 | 197 |
Perth & Kinross | 1 | 3 | 22 | 591 | 614 |
Renfrewshire | -8 | -12 | 1 | 941 | 866 |
Scottish Borders | 34 | 3 | -10 | 521 | 551 |
Shetland Islands | -3 | 6 | -8 | 252 | 273 |
South Ayrshire | -1 | 3 | 32 | 619 | 679 |
South Lanarkshire | -4 | -8 | 17 | 709 | 675 |
Stirling | 46 | -15 | 91 | 649 | 637 |
West Dunbartonshire | 3 | -13 | 83 | 1,016 | 975 |
West Lothian | 9 | -4 | 24 | 860 | 837 |
Scotland | 4 | -7 | 27 | 859 | 845 |
Source: Central recorded crime statistical collection: Scottish ExecutiveNote: Total crimes is not the sum of the crimes against person, crimes against property and crimes relating to drugs. Crimes against the person include the offences petty assault and breach of the peace, which are not included in total crimes.
(1) From 2002, the figures for crimes against the person exclude crimes of handling an offensive weapon. The 1999 figures have been equivalently revised for comparability.
(2) Figures differ from those previously published because they are based on revised population estimates
(3) Figures differ from those published in recorded crime statistical bulletin because they are based on mid-2002 population estimates.
Table 26b: Number of crimes by local authority
Council area | Crimes against the person (1) | Crimes against property | Crimes relating to drugs | Total crime |
1999 | 2002 | 1999 | 2002 | 1999 | 2002 | 1999 | 2002 |
Aberdeen City | 8,331 | 7,910 | 28,772 | 23,847 | 1,617 | 2,071 | 32,604 | 28,537 |
Aberdeenshire | 4,836 | 4,310 | 8,894 | 7,142 | 717 | 757 | 10,606 | 8,940 |
Angus | 2,509 | 3,052 | 5,433 | 5,178 | 458 | 489 | 6,580 | 6,268 |
Argyll & Bute | 2,137 | 2,371 | 3,218 | 2,875 | 372 | 512 | 4,207 | 4,186 |
Clackmannanshire | 947 | 1,377 | 2,178 | 2,460 | 232 | 351 | 2,701 | 3,393 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 3,517 | 3,324 | 6,882 | 8,246 | 700 | 775 | 8,500 | 9,998 |
Dundee City | 5,777 | 5,502 | 14,829 | 15,111 | 738 | 1,167 | 17,651 | 17,535 |
East Ayrshire | 3,550 | 3,303 | 6,993 | 7,376 | 773 | 950 | 8,839 | 9,465 |
East Dunbartonshire | 1,410 | 1,530 | 4,743 | 3,657 | 284 | 460 | 5,447 | 4,648 |
East Lothian | 1,682 | 1,481 | 3,817 | 3,770 | 208 | 507 | 4,459 | 4,868 |
East Renfrewshire | 1,099 | 1,013 | 3,924 | 3,233 | 312 | 296 | 4,693 | 3,976 |
Edinburgh, City of | 12,749 | 12,932 | 46,832 | 42,865 | 2,927 | 3,863 | 54,363 | 52,711 |
Eilean Siar | 524 | 488 | 353 | 521 | 83 | 94 | 511 | 720 |
Falkirk | 3,639 | 4,232 | 7,806 | 7,263 | 680 | 831 | 9,381 | 9,398 |
Fife | 7,764 | 9,170 | 23,008 | 23,874 | 1,508 | 1,944 | 26,647 | 28,837 |
Glasgow City | 32,059 | 32,090 | 66,723 | 59,455 | 7,791 | 9,330 | 88,646 | 83,927 |
Highland | 5,841 | 6,496 | 8,914 | 9,186 | 1,296 | 1,434 | 11,468 | 12,323 |
Inverclyde | 2,631 | 2,581 | 6,062 | 5,296 | 769 | 1,145 | 7,709 | 7,670 |
Midlothian | 1,794 | 1,648 | 4,253 | 4,206 | 326 | 444 | 5,132 | 5,246 |
Moray | 2,686 | 3,301 | 4,128 | 3,279 | 288 | 324 | 4,868 | 4,307 |
North Ayrshire | 3,735 | 3,937 | 7,505 | 8,265 | 721 | 1,054 | 9,372 | 10,732 |
North Lanarkshire | 8,591 | 10,160 | 18,926 | 17,124 | 2,175 | 3,105 | 23,581 | 23,334 |
Orkney Islands | 266 | 210 | 263 | 293 | 58 | 41 | 374 | 379 |
Perth & Kinross | 2,525 | 2,540 | 6,489 | 6,704 | 784 | 959 | 7,984 | 8,303 |
Renfrewshire | 4,858 | 4,488 | 13,372 | 11,724 | 1,198 | 1,212 | 16,407 | 14,893 |
Scottish Borders | 1,929 | 2,581 | 4,216 | 4,327 | 719 | 647 | 5,509 | 5,918 |
Shetland Islands | 324 | 315 | 408 | 433 | 95 | 87 | 567 | 598 |
South Ayrshire | 3,000 | 2,966 | 5,397 | 5,583 | 752 | 992 | 6,985 | 7,585 |
South Lanarkshire | 7,903 | 7,554 | 17,372 | 15,955 | 1,482 | 1,733 | 21,465 | 20,406 |
Stirling | 1,566 | 2,285 | 4,677 | 3,984 | 385 | 735 | 5,545 | 5,491 |
West Dunbartonshire | 2,991 | 3,082 | 7,965 | 6,929 | 515 | 941 | 9,597 | 9,049 |
West Lothian | 3,368 | 3,679 | 11,405 | 10,977 | 907 | 1,129 | 13,305 | 13,393 |
Scotland | 146,538 | 151,908 | 355,757 | 331,138 | 31,870 | 40,379 | 435,703 | 427,034 |
Source: Central recorded crime statistical collection: Scottish ExecutiveNote: Total crimes is not the sum of the crimes against person, crimes against property and crimes relating to drugs. Crimes against the person include the offences petty assault and breach of the peace, which are not included in total crimes.
(1) From 2002, the figures for crimes against the person exclude crimes of handling an offensive weapon. The 1999 figures have been equivalently revised for comparability.
Availability of data and references
It is recognised that the current data source is insufficient to measure the crime rates in disadvantaged areas.
Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2002
www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00254-00.asp
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