Homicide in Scotland 1998: CrJ/1999/7: Page 2

Homicide in Scotland 1998: CrJ/1999/7

2. Key Points

In 1998 there were 100 victims of 98 homicide cases, which represents 19.5 victims per million population. This was an increase on the 1997 figure of 90 victims, which was the lowest number of homicide victims in Scotland since 1991.
The highest homicide rate in 1998 was amongst males aged between 16 and 29, with 60 victims per million population.
At 12^th November 1999, 152 persons had been accused of homicides recorded in 1998, 61 per cent of whom were males aged between 16 and 29. The proportion of accused persons who were female, at 14 per cent, was the highest observed within the last ten years.
For most of the 99 victims where accused persons have been identified, the main accused was known to the victim; 26 per cent were presumed to have been killed by a partner or other relative and 50 per cent were presumed to have been killed by an acquaintance.
The use of a sharp instrument was the most common method of killing, accounting for almost half of all victims. Of the 44 people killed by this method, 42 were male.
Fifty-seven of the 98 homicide cases recorded in 1998 have so far resulted in 47 convictions for murder and 23 convictions for culpable homicide. These represent a higher proportion of homicide cases resulting in conviction for murder than in any previous year.
In 1998 the local authority areas with the highest homicide rates were, Glasgow City (52 victims per million population) and Inverclyde (47 per million). These compared with an overall rate for Scotland of 20 victims per million. Two thirds of homicide cases took place in the Strathclyde police force area.
Following the higher homicide rates observed during the period 1992-96 (mostly attributable to increased rates of male adults being killed by acquaintances) the lower recorded homicide figures for 1997 and 1998 were more in line with the level recorded in the late 1980’s.
Over the 10 year period 1998-98, 74 per cent of female victims of homicide were killed within a dwelling, and 82 per cent were killed by someone they knew.