Scottish Government

Statistical Bulletin CrJ/2002/1 Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2001

2. Key points

• The number of crimes recorded by the police decreased for the second consecutive year in 2001. In 2001, the Scottish police recorded 421,100 crimes, a decrease of just under 0.5 per cent on the 2000 figure. The number of recorded crimes in 2001 was only slightly higher than the ten year low figure of 420,600 in 1997 and was 27 per cent lower than the peak 1991 figure. In 2001 the police recorded 524,600 offences, an increase of 5 per cent compared with the 2000 figure.
• The number of non-sexual crimes of violence recorded by the police increased by 2 per cent between 2000 and 2001, to total 23,800. Recorded cases of "serious assault etc." increased by 5 per cent to 7,300. The number of crimes of "handling an offensive weapon" increased by 6 per cent to 8,700 reflecting sustained efforts by the police to tackle the culture of violence, with more people being found to have an offensive weapon in their possession and being charged with this. The number of recorded cases of "robbery" decreased by 4 per cent to number 4,200 in 2001.
• The number of crimes in the indecency group increased by 4 per cent to number 6,000 in 2001 but numbers remain well below the levels observed in 1997 and 1998. Within this group recorded cases of sexual assault - which includes rape & attempted rape and indecent assault - increased by 5 per cent to total 1,900 whilst the number of crimes of lewd and indecent behaviour increased by 1 per cent to stand at 2,400 in 2001. The number of crimes recorded in the "other" sub-group increased by 8 per cent from 1,600 to 1,700.
• The number of crimes of dishonesty decreased for the second consecutive year (by 8 per cent) to stand at 239,900 cases in 2001. There were decreases in all of the categories within this group. Within the housebreaking category there was an 8 per cent fall and the decrease in 2001 was reflected in the decreases in both domestic and non-domestic premises. The total number of housebreakings during 2001 still remains at less than half the number recorded in the early 1990s. Recorded cases of theft from a motor vehicle by opening a lockfast place continued to fall in 2001 and now stands at 31,300, the lowest such number since figures were first separately identified in 1992.
• Recorded cases of vandalism (including fire-raising and malicious mischief) increased by 14 per cent (11,700) to total 94,900 in 2001. A large part of this increase is explained by improved recording by Strathclyde police of minor vandalisms, as recommended by an HMIC inspection which highlighted an under recording of minor crimes in Strathclyde.
• Within the other crimes group, recorded drugs crimes increased by 15 per cent to 36,200 in 2001. Within the drugs group, recorded cases of supply and possession with intent to supply rose by 17 per cent from 8,600 in 2000 to 10,100 in 2001 and recorded cases of possession increased by 15 per cent from 22,200 in 2000 to 25,600 in 2001. This reflects targeted police campaigns against drugs including the "Know the Score" campaign.
• The number of crimes cleared up by the police rose slightly from 187,800 in 2000 to 188,900 in 2001. The crime clear-up rate rose from 44 per cent in 2000 to 45 per cent (a post war record) in 2001. There were increases in the clear-up rates for two of the five crime groups. The clear-up rate for crimes of indecency increased from 77 to 80 per cent; the clear-up rate for non-sexual crimes of violence increased from 73 to 74 per cent.