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RECORDED CRIME IN SCOTLAND, 2000

4. Crimes recorded by the police

General

4.1 The number of cases recorded in the "non-sexual crimes of violence" group decreased by 91 (less than one half of one per cent) to total 23,300 in 2000 (Table 1). The number of crimes of indecency recorded by the police in 2000 decreased by 4 per cent, a decrease of 228 cases from 6,000 in 1999. This figure is similar to the numbers recorded in the early 1990s. The number of recorded crimes of dishonesty (consisting mainly of housebreaking and theft) - which now accounts for around three-fifths of all recorded crimes — decreased by 6 per cent to 261,000, a decrease of 15,300 cases. Crimes in the group "fire-raising and vandalism etc." rose by 3,600, an increase of 5 per cent between 1999 and 2000. The "other crimes" group, including drugs crimes and crimes against public justice, fell by 583 to 50,000, a decrease of 1 per cent. Property related crime (e.g. housebreaking, theft, fire-raising and vandalism) has fallen as a proportion of all recorded crime; in 2000 the proportion was 81 per cent compared with 91 per cent in 1991. The proportion attributable to non-sexual crimes of violence in 2000, at 5.5 per cent, was slightly above the level of 3.8 per cent in 1991, as was the proportion for crimes of indecency (1.4 per cent compared with 1.0 per cent in 1991). The "other crimes" group, though falling back slightly in 2000, has accounted for an increasing proportion over the decade, rising from 4.4 per cent in 1991 to 12 per cent in 2000, reflecting the trends in recorded drugs crimes over this period.

Violence

4.2 The number of crimes recorded in 2000 in the non-sexual crimes of violence group decreased compared with 1999, though by less than one half of one per cent. Recorded cases of "serious assault etc" decreased by 3 per cent (237 cases) in 2000. The number of cases of "handling an offensive weapon" increased to 8,200 in 2000 (an increase of 3 per cent) following an increase of 17 per cent in 1999. These trends reflect the high visibility pro-active policing of the Safer Scotland Campaign, which ran nationally from October to December 2000. The number of recorded cases of "robbery" decreased by 13 per cent to number 4,400 in 2000.

4.3 The "other" sub-group within non-sexual crimes of violence increased in 2000 (up 17 per cent). This is mainly attributable to the increase in the number of recorded cases of threats and extortion, due at least partly to a rise in the complaints of threatening phone calls made prevalent by the explosion in mobile phone sales, in particular pre-pay mobile phones where no subscriber or owner details are available, making detection difficult.

Indecency

4.4 The number of crimes of indecency recorded by the police fell by 228 to 5,800 in 2000, a decrease of 4 per cent. Recorded cases of sexual assault decreased by 6 per cent during 2000 to total 1,800. All crimes within this sub-group recorded a decrease; the number of cases of rape decreased by 5 per cent (compared with a 4 per cent decrease in 1999) and cases of assault with intent to rape and indecent assault fell by 14 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. The number of crimes of lewd and indecent behaviour fell by 37 cases in 2000 to stand at 2,300, similar to the levels experienced in the early 1990s.

4.5. The "other" sub-group within crimes of indecency decreased by 5 per cent. Table B below provides more detailed information on the number of crimes of indecency over the ten year period 1991-2000. This shows that within the "other" subgroup, numbers decreased in all categories except "offences relating to prostitution" where numbers increased by 2 per cent to 1,200, reflecting police pro-activity against these crimes.

1. Between 1990 and 1998, Grampian Police included attempted rape in their figures for rape.

Dishonesty

4.6 The overall number of crimes of dishonesty decreased by 6 per cent, reversing the increases recorded in 1998 and 1999, to stand at 261,000 cases in 2000. There were increases in only two categories: fraud (up 2,600 cases, an increase of 14 per cent) and shoplifting (up 335 cases, an increase of 1 per cent). The increases in fraud have been ascribed to an increased prevalence of credit card fraud and the fraudulent use of mobile phones. The number of crimes of housebreaking fell by 10 per cent (down 5,100) between 1999 and 2000, following a 5 per cent decrease between 1998 and 1999. This particularly reflects the success of intelligence led policing in combating such crimes. With effect from 1994 the figures for recorded crimes of housebreaking were further sub-divided to distinguish between domestic and non-domestic premises. The decrease in 2000 was reflected in the decreases in both domestic and non-domestic premises. The total number of housebreakings during 2000 still remains at less than half the number recorded in the early 1990s. There has been a greater proportionate reduction in the number of housebreakings involving non-domestic premises; 55 per cent between 1994 and 2000 compared with 38 per cent over the same time period for domestic premises. In 2000, as in 1998 and 1999, 67 per cent of all housebreakings involved domestic property (e.g. houses, garages, garden sheds) compared with 60 per cent in 1994 and 1995. Tables C and D below provide more detail

4.7 Recorded cases of theft from a motor vehicle by opening a lockfast place continued to fall in 2000 and now stands at 33,700, the lowest such number since figures were first separately identified in 1992. The number of recorded cases of theft by opening a lockfast place (excluding motor vehicles) fell from 11,700 in 1999 to 11,300 in 2000, a decrease of 3 per cent. The number of recorded cases of theft of a motor vehicle decreased by 12 per cent in 2000 to 26,200, the lowest level since 1987. In 2000 motor vehicle related theft accounted for around a quarter of the total number of crimes of dishonesty. In earlier years this proportion was around one-third. Information on the number of thefts from a motor vehicle by opening a lockfast place have been collected since 1992 and Table E below provides more detailed information.

1. Separately identified from 1 January 1992.

4.8 The number of recorded cases of fraud increased by 14 per cent in 2000 to 21,200. The increases have been ascribed to an increased prevalence of credit card fraud, where transactions were conducted by telephone or the internet, and to an increase in fraudulent use of mobile phones. The other crimes of dishonesty sub-category, which, in the main, consists of cases of reset, forgery and uttering and crimes recorded in the category "Prevention of Crimes and Vagrancy", decreased by 12 per cent in 2000 to 9,400.

Fire-raising, vandalism etc.

4.9 Recorded cases of vandalism etc. increased by 5 per cent (3,600) to 80,800 in 2000. The number of recorded crimes of fire-raising increased by 40 (2 per cent) to total 2,400 in 2000.

Other crimes

4.10 The number of recorded cases in the "other crimes" group fell by 1 per cent, to 49,900 cases in 2000. The number of crimes against public justice fell by 98 to total 18,400 in 2000, a decrease of 1 per cent. The number of drugs crimes fell by 1 per cent to 31,400 in 2000. Within the drugs group, recorded cases of supply and possession with intent to supply rose by 2 per cent from 8,500 in 1999 to 8,600 in 2000 and recorded cases of possession decreased by 3 per cent from 22,800 in 1999 to 22,200 in 2000. These changes reflect policing decisions to use intelligence led operations to target major drugs dealers, resulting in fewer recordings of minor drugs possession offences. The number of crimes recorded of illegal importation of drugs fell from 14 in 1999 to 1 in 2000, due to a decrease from 11 to 0 in the numbers recorded in Strathclyde. Figures for these crimes are subject to considerable annual fluctuation. Table F below provides further details.

1. Introduced with effect from 1 January 1995.

4.11 The "other" sub-group within "other crimes", which consists of crimes against public order and crimes involving explosives, decreased by 37 per cent from 126 cases in 1999 to 80 cases in 2000.

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