This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Firearm crime statistics
23/09/2003
Figures released today show a two per cent fall in the number of offences involving firearms, with the lowest number ever of alleged offences using a shotgun.
A statistical bulletin published by the Scottish Executive has revealed that in 2002 Scottish Police recorded 1,014 offences in which a firearm was alleged to have been used, a decrease of two per cent from the 1,033 recorded in 2001. The 2002 level is 48 per cent lower than the peak 1992 figure of 1,959. Other main findings include:
The use of firearms in criminal activity constituted only a small proportion of all offences recorded by the police in 2002; 3 per cent of recorded attempted murders (24 offences), 3 per cent of recorded robberies (131 offences) and 2 per cent of recorded homicides (3 offences). Less than half a per cent of recorded assaults (271 offences) and vandalism offences (256 offences) involved the alleged use of a firearm.
The number of offences involving the alleged use of a shotgun decreased from 35 in 2001 to 20 in 2002, the lowest number ever recorded. The number of offences involving the alleged use of a pistol/revolver was at its lowest since 1990, halving from 64 in 201 to 32 in 2002. =20
The number of offences in which a firearm was fired and killed or caused injury to a person fell from 348 in 2001 to 334 in 2002, a decrease of 4 per cent. None of the incidents leading to fatal or other injury involved an identified shotgun, rifle, pistol or revolver though 162 such incidents involved an unidentified firearm.
In 2002, 51 per cent of all offences in which a firearm was alleged to have been used were cleared up, an increase of 3 percentage points on 2001.
The bulletin Recorded Crimes and Offences Involving Firearms, Scotland, 2002 details crimes and offences recorded by the police in which a firearm was alleged to have been used and also the theft of firearms.
The bulletin explains that changes in the number of crimes and offences involving firearms recorded by the police do not necessarily reflect changes in the volume of crime committed involving firearms. For a variety of reasons, some crimes and offences involving firearms may not be reported to the police or may not be recorded by them, although the extent of under reporting is likely to vary considerably according to the type of offence. For example, armed robberies are much more likely to be reported to the police than malicious damage caused by the firing of an airweapon.
Throughout the bulletin the reference to the 'use' of firearms should be interpreted to mean the 'alleged use'. In Strathclyde, prior to 2001, and Lothian and Borders, prior to 2002, if a weapon was not seen or seen but not established, an assumption was made about what type of weapon this was. It was usually assumed that it was an airweapon and was recorded as such in the statistical return.
However, there has been a change of this recording practice and if a weapon was not seen or seen but not established, it is now recorded as such and no assumption is made about what the weapon was. This has had the effect of increasing the number of incidents involving an unidentified firearm and reducing those involving an airweapon. To enable meaningful comparisons to be made over time, the tables previously covering offences involving firearms other than an airweapon (which included those involving unidentified firearms) have been revised to cover offences involving identified firearms other than an airweapon.
This is a Scottish Executive National Statistics publication. National statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.