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RECORDED CRIME IN SCOTLAND, 2003
5. Commentary: Recorded crime and offences - financial year, Scotland
5.1 As described in paragraph 1.2, this recorded crime bulletin also includes data for financial years up to 2003/04, included in Tables B1 to B8. This is a transitional arrangement; from 2004/05 the recorded crime bulletin will move to a full financial year basis
5.2 The trends in recorded crime between 2002/03 and 2003/04 are similar to those shown by the calendar year figures but are not identical. Although the total number of crimes decreased between the two financial years 2002/03 and 2003/04, the magnitude of the fall, at 1 per cent, was less marked than the 5 per cent decrease noted between 2002 and 2003. The reason for this difference is illustrated in Chart 6 below.
Chart 6 Quarterly trends in recorded crime Quarter 1 1988 to Quarter 1 2004
5.3 Trends in total recorded crime are dominated by the changes in the numbers of crimes recorded in the crime groups dishonesty and V andalism. Although trends in the crime groups of violence and indecency may show substantial variation, the numbers of these crimes are too small to have much impact on the overall crime level. As illustrated in the chart, the total number of crimes recorded in Quarter 1 2003 was at a relatively low level and the number recorded in Quarter 1 2004 was rather higher. For this reason the number of crimes recorded in financial year 2002/03 (which included Quarter 1 2003) was 418,281; lower than the number of crimes recorded in calendar year 2002. Between 2001/02 and 2002/03 recorded crime fell by 2 per cent, compared with a 1 per cent rise in the calendar year figures. Equivalently, the number of crimes recorded in financial year 2003/04 (which excluded Quarter 1 2003 and included Quarter 1 2004) was 414,239; higher than the number of crimes recorded in calendar year 2003.
5.4 The number of non-sexual crimes of violence recorded by the police decreased by 5 per cent between 2002/03 and 2003/04 to total 15,197, just under the calendar year figure for 2003 of 15,230. This decrease is similar to the 7 per cent decrease observed in the calendar year figures.
5.5 The number of crimes in the indecency group increased by 2 per cent from 6,623 in 2002/03 to 6,786 in 2003/04. This increase reflects the same factors noted in paragraph 3.3 previously.
5.6 The number of crimes of dishonesty decreased for the fifth consecutive financial year, by 6 per cent, to stand at 211,014 cases in 2003/04. For the reasons discussed in paragraph 5.3 above, the magnitude of this decrease was rather less than the 11 per cent decrease observed between 2002 and 2003.
5.7 Recorded cases of Vandalism (including fire-raising and malicious mischief) increased by 6 per cent to total 103,731 in 2003/04, reflecting improved recording of minor incidents of such crimes throughout most police forces in Scotland. This increase is similar to the 5 per cent increase observed in the calendar year figures.
5.8 Recorded cases in the other crimes group increased by 6 per cent to total 77,511 in 2003/04. This increase is somewhat larger than the 2 per cent increase shown in the calendar year data but reflects the same factors commented on in paragraph 3.6.
5.9 The crime clear-up rate in 2003/04 was 47 per cent - the same as for calendar year 2003.
5.10 In 2003/04 the police recorded 607,750 offences , an increase of 17 per cent compared with 2002/03, similar to the 15 per cent increase observed in the calendar year figures. As with the calendar year figures, the major component of the increase was an increase of 70 per cent in speeding offences. This increase in recorded speeding offences is larger than the 62 per cent increase in the calendar year figures, reflecting continued impact of the rollout of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme.
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