1. The mid-year population estimate for 1999 was used since, at the time of publication, the 2000 estimate was not available.

7.3 As in 1999, Lothian & Borders police recorded the highest crime rate of all forces — at 918 crimes per 10,000 population - and the second highest rate was in Grampian, at 895 crimes per 10,000 population. Northern Constabulary still recorded the lowest number of crimes per 10,000 population (476) in spite of the 3 per cent increase in recorded crime between 1999 and 2000 in that area. Crime rates for force areas include offending by non-residents as well as the resident population. Thus, the high rate of motor vehicle offences recorded in Dumfries & Galloway, 1,123, which is almost double the Scottish rate (675), may reflect the volume of traffic on trunk roads through the area. In addition, the crime rates will reflect local initiatives within forces, which affect the reporting and detection of crime from one period to the next. (Tables 4B and 5).

7.4 In 2000, the Scottish forces had widely differing clear-up rates for crimes, partly reflecting the different characteristics of the areas, the profile of crimes committed within each force area and the success of special efforts at targeting specific crimes. The rates varied from 34 per cent in Grampian, 42 per cent in Tayside and 44 per cent in Fife and Strathclyde to 47 per cent in Lothian & Borders, 52 per cent in Dumfries & Galloway, 56 per cent in Northern Constabulary and 57 per cent in Central.