Crime figures show downturn in latest year
Scotland's crime rate showed a 16% decrease in 2017-18 compared with the previous year, according to new official estimates.
The annual Scottish Crime & Justice Survey estimates a total of 602,000 crimes committed against adults for the year, down from 712,000 in 2016-17 and a new low in levels recorded by SCJS, being 42% below the figure for 2008-09.
The total breaks down into 71% property crime (vandalism 38%, personal theft 22%, other household theft 29%, motor vehicle theft 6% and housebreaking 6%), and 29% violent crime (minor assault with negligible injury 62%, minor assault with injury 20%, attempted assault 7%, serious assault 5% and robbery 6%). The figures do not include certain crimes such as online crime and workplace abuse.
Victims disproportionately came from the most deprived areas, with 18% of people living there having beem victims of crime, compard with 13.4% of people in urban areas generally, and 5.3% of those aged 60 and over.
Overall, it is estimated that around 35% of these crimes were reported to the police, and 57% of people believe the police are doing an excellent or good job in their area.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf commented: "Given Scotland’s sustained commitment to prevention, responsive policing and local partnerships, I welcome these encouraging findings on long-term crime trends and how safe people feel in their communities. Tackling alcohol-related harm has been a pivotal part of our pioneering public health approach to reducing violent crime over the last decade and it is heartening to see a fall in alcohol-related violence.
"I remain concerned about the level of repeat victimisation, and that people in the most deprived communities are more likely to experience violence. While these findings are not new, we must not simply accept them as a ‘fact of life’, and we will continue our work to further understand and reduce violence wherever it persists."