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ANNEX 6 GLOSSARY
Main Crime Categories
Assault
In the survey the term 'assault' refers to 2 main categories: 'serious assaults' comprising incidents of assault which lead to overnight stays in hospital or internal injuries, severe concussion, loss of consciousness, lacerations or any other injury which could lead to impairment or disfigurement; and 'minor assaults' which are actual or attempted assaults resulting in no or negligible injury. For the purpose of analysis and comparison with police recorded crime statistics these categories have been grouped together and called 'assault'.
Bicycle Theft
This term applies to the theft of bicycles from outside a dwelling. Almost all bicycles were stolen in this way. Bicycle thefts which take place inside the house by someone who is not trespassing at the time are counted as 'theft in a dwelling' (a sub-category of 'other household theft'); and thefts of bicycles from inside the house by a trespasser are counted as 'housebreaking'.
Housebreaking
In Scots law the term 'burglary' has no meaning although in popular usage it has come to mean breaking into a house in order to steal the contents. Scots law refers to this as 'theft by housebreaking'. In the SCVS, respondents who reported that someone had broken into their home with the intention of committing theft (whether the intention was carried out or not) were classified as 'victims of housebreaking'. Entry must be by forcing a door or via a non-standard entrance. Thus, entry through unlocked doors or by using false pretences, or if the offender had a key, are not housebreaking (these would fall into 'other household theft'). The definition of housebreaking used in this report is the same as the definition used in the 2003 report but differs from the definition used in previous reports. The definition was changed in 2003 to mirror more accurately the Scottish police recorded crime definition of domestic housebreaking by including housebreakings to non-dwellings (such as sheds, garages and out-houses which are directly linked to the dwelling).
Household Theft ('Other Household Theft')
This term refers to actual and attempted thefts from domestic garages, outhouses and sheds etc. that are not directly linked to the dwelling. The term also includes thefts from gas and electricity prepayment meters and thefts from outside the dwelling (excluding thefts of milk bottles etc. from the doorstep). 'Thefts in a dwelling' are also included in this category; these are thefts committed inside a home by somebody who did not force their way into the home, and who entered through a normal entrance (examples include guests at parties, workmen with legitimate access, people who get in using false pretences, or if the respondent leaves a door open or unlocked).
Motor Vehicle Theft
The SCVS covers 3 main categories of vehicle theft: 'theft of motor vehicles' referring to the theft or unauthorised taking of a vehicle, where the vehicle is driven away illegally (whether or not it is recovered); 'theft from motor vehicles' which includes the theft of vehicle parts, accessories or contents; and 'attempted thefts of, or from, motor vehicles' where there is clear evidence that an attempt was made to steal the vehicle or something from it (e.g. damage to locks). If parts or contents of the motor vehicle are stolen in addition to the vehicle being moved, the incident is classified as 'theft of a motor vehicle'. Included in this category are cars, vans, motor cycles, scooters and mopeds which are either owned or regularly used by anyone in the household. Lorries, heavy vans, tractors, trailers and towed caravans were excluded from the coverage of the survey.
Robbery
This term refers to actual or attempted theft of personal property or cash directly from the person, accompanied by force or the threat of force. Robbery should be distinguished from other thefts from the person which involve speed or stealth.
Theft from the person
This term refers to theft (or attempted theft) of a purse, wallet, cash etc. directly from the person of the victim, but without physical force or the threat of it.
Other personal theft
In the survey 'other personal theft' refers to the theft of personal property outside the home (for example handbags from offices) where there was no direct contact between the offender and the victim.
Vandalism
Vandalism involves intentional and malicious damage to property (including houses and vehicles). In the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980, vandalism became a separate offence defined as wilful or reckless destruction or damage to property belonging to another. Cases which involve only nuisance without actual damage (for example, letting down car tyres) are not included. Where criminal damage occurs in combination with housebreaking, robbery or violent offences it is these latter that take precedence.
Combined Crime Categories
At various points in the report, crime categories are grouped together in different combinations in order to provide more meaningful analysis. The following describes the main combinations used and what these include:
Comparable crime
Only certain categories of crime covered by the SCVS are directly comparable with police recorded crime statistics. These categories are collectively referred to throughout the report as 'comparable crime', which consists of 6 categories: vandalism, housebreaking, theft of a motor vehicle, bicycle theft, assault and robbery.
Within the comparable sub-set, the 6 categories can be further collapsed into the following 3 broad classifications:
- Acquisitive crime - comprising housebreaking, theft of a motor vehicle and bicycle theft.
- Vandalism - including both vehicle and property vandalism
- Violence - comprising assault and robbery.
- Property and Violent Crimes
- In this report the types of crime are sometimes grouped together under the headings of property crime and violent crime:
- Property crime includes housebreaking, other household theft, vandalism, theft of motor vehicle, theft from motor vehicle, attempted theft of/from motor vehicle, bicycle theft, theft from the person and other personal theft.
- Violent crime includes assault and robbery.
- Household and Personal Crimes
- Types of crime are often sub-divided into crimes against households and crimes against individuals.
- Household crime includes vandalism, theft from a motor vehicle, housebreaking, theft (and attempted theft) of a motor vehicle, bicycle theft and other household theft.
- Personal crime includes assault, robbery, theft from the person and other personal theft.
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