Case Studies

Scots recorded crime falls

by Mark Rowe

The estimated number of crimes in 2014/15 (688,000) has fallen by around a sixth (16 per cent) since the 815,000 crimes estimated in 2012/13, and, by around a third (34 per cent) since the 1,045,000 crimes estimated in 2008/09.

Almost three-quarters of crime (73 per cent) was property crime, comprising vandalism (26 per cent), other household theft (incl bicycle theft) (23 per cent), personal theft (excluding robbery (15 per cent)), motor vehicle theft related incidents (6 per cent) and housebreaking (3 per cent). Just over a quarter of crime was violent crime (27 per cent), comprising minor assault with no / negligible injury (17 per cent), minor assault with injury (4 per cent), attempted assault (4 per cent), serious assault (1 per cent) and robbery (1 per cent).

Most adults (85.5 per cent) experienced no crime in 2014/15. The SCJS estimates that around one in seven adults were the victim of crime in 2014/15 (14.5 per cent), compared to around one in six adults in 2012/13 (16.9 per cent), and one in five adults in 2008/09 (20.4 per cent). In 2014/15, 13.0 per cent of adults were estimated to have been a victim of property crime and 2.6 per cent of adults a victim of violent crime.

Around one-in-ten adults experienced one crime in 2014/15, while 4.4 per cent of adults were the victim of multiple crimes, experiencing almost three fifths of all SCJS crime (58 per cent). 3.5 per cent of adults were repeat victims of property crime, while 0.8 per cent of adults were repeat victims of violent crime. Of those who were repeat victims of violent crime, most were repeat victims of minor assault (79 per cent).

The risk of being a victim of any crime was higher for adults living in the 15 per cent most deprived areas (21.2 per cent), compared to elsewhere in Scotland (13.4 per cent). Between 2008/09 and 2014/15, the risk of crime fell in the most deprived areas from 26.0 per cent to 21.2 per cent, while elsewhere the risk fell from 19.4 per cent to 13.4 per cent. Between 2012/13 and 2014/15, the risk of crime was unchanged in the most deprived areas while elsewhere the risk fell from 16.1 per cent to 13.4 per cent.

The majority of adults (74 per cent) felt very safe or fairly safe walking alone after dark, up from 66 per cent in 2008/09 and 72 per cent in 2012/13 according to the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2014/15, published today.

The likelihood of becoming a victim of crime in Scotland has also fallen to 14.5 per cent, meaning one in seven adults are now at risk, lower than the equivalent in England and Wales at 15.9 per cent. The estimated number of crimes also fell by around a third since 2008/09 from 1,045,000 to 688,000 in 2014/15.

The survey also includes figures on confidence in policing for the first time since Police Scotland was established. Overall the majority of participants (58 per cent) said the police were doing a good or excellent job in their local area, down slightly from 61 per cent in 2012/13.

What they say

The SNP Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Michael Matheson, said on March 15: “It is extremely encouraging to see that the risk of becoming a victim of crime in Scotland continues to fall, with the likelihood of experiencing crime remaining lower than in England and Wales.

“The country is becoming a safer place thanks to the continued efforts of our communities and law enforcement agencies and I am glad this message seems to be getting through to the public, with those surveyed claiming to feel safer in their neighbourhoods than in previous years.

“There is still more work to do though, as we know in most cases the public still think they are at least two to three times more at risk of experiencing a crime than is actually likely.

“I am pleased to see that the overall majority of those surveyed (89 per cent) responded positively when asked how they thought police were performing in their area, either agreeing that local police were doing a fair, good or excellent job.

“There have of course been challenges since the introduction of the single service but I am confident that Police Scotland can build on these positive results to further improve how the public view the force.

“The figures published today show that our approach to justice in Scotland is working, crime is down, people feel safer and the likelihood of becoming a victim continues to fall. We will not be complacent though. This Government remains committed to doing all it can to protect the people of Scotland and work towards safer communities for all.”

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