Scottish Government

2. Key Points

• In 2006-07, Scottish police forces recorded 118 cases that are currently (as at 19 November 2007) recorded as homicides, 24 (26 per cent) higher than in 2005-06. Of these cases, 86 are currently recorded as murder and 32 are recorded as culpable homicide.

• The 118 cases of homicide in 2006-07 involved 119 victims, 27 per cent more victims than in 2005-06. This represents a homicide rate of 23 victims per million population.

• Eighty four per cent of victims were male, with the overall homicide for males (40 victims per million population) nearly 6 times the rate for females (7 victims per million population). Males aged between 21 to 29 years old were over 4 times more likely to be a victim of homicide (99 victims per million population) than the national average.

• Currently, 167 persons have been accused of the homicides recorded in 2006-07. This is 19 per cent more than in 2005-06. Ninety two per cent of persons accused of homicide were male.

• As in previous years, young males are the most likely to be the accused in homicide cases. The accused rate per million population is nearly 8 times greater for 16 to 20 year old males than the national average.

• Of the 167 persons accused in the homicide cases in 2006-07, 45 (27 per cent) have had a charge of murder proved to date (as at 19 November 2007). A further 28 (17 per cent) accused persons have had a charge of culpable homicide proved.

• The most common method of killing in each of the last 10 years has been with a sharp instrument. In 2006-07, this method was used in the homicide of 54 victims (45 per cent) which is over 3 times as many homicides as the second most common method.

• For 73 per cent of homicide victims in 2006-07, the main accused was known to them either as an acquaintance (51 per cent), a relative (13 per cent) or a partner (9 per cent).

• Nearly half (47 per cent) of the total of 167 persons accused in homicide cases in 2006-07 were reported to have been drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time. Of these, 30 per cent were drunk, 8 per cent were on drugs and 9 per cent were both drunk and on drugs. In 41 per cent of homicide cases it was not known if the accused was drunk or under the influence of drugs.

• In 2006-07, 76 of the 118 recorded homicide cases were in the Strathclyde police force area, 64 per cent of the total. There was an increase in the number of homicides in 2006-07 compared to 2005-06 in 6 out of the 8 police force areas. The exceptions were in Tayside and Dumfries and Galloway, the latter recording no homicides in 2006-07.