A gap has opened up between Dundee and the rest of Scotland as crime and violence levels in the city remain higher than anywhere else in the country.
The city has overtaken Glasgow since 2018 to become Scotland’s crime capital.
Despite an improvement in Dundee over the past year, a recent fall in Glasgow was steeper, opening up a gulf.
According to new data, 832 crimes were recorded for every 10,000 people in Dundee, a slight drop from 845 in 2021.
Of these offences, 240 of them were violent attacks or sexual crimes, a major increase compared to four years ago.
There were notable upticks in rates of theft and shoplifting in the city.
Dundee has also struggled with drug deaths but drug possession has fallen sharply.
Last year a top police officer warned the city’s battle with drugs was continuing to have a major impact on crime figures.
Crime rates in Angus increased to their highest level in the past five years, but there was a small drop in Perth and Kinross.
‘The city has been betrayed’
The Scottish Tories said it was “tragic” to see Dundee with the worst record in the country as they urged the SNP to act.
MSP Russell Findlay said: “It is tragic to see the proud city of Dundee – already suffering from Scotland’s highest drugs-death rate – now becoming the so-called crime capital.
“The city has been betrayed by SNP ministers who last year inexplicably rejected the UK Government’s Project Adder, a ‘whole system’ initiative that supports addicts while targeting crime gangs who profit from death.”
Across Scotland, 285,974 crimes were committed in the 12 months leading up to June 2022, a fall from the year before.
Sexual offences and violent attacks had increased despite overall crime being at its lowest level since 1974.
SNP justice secretary Keith Brown said: “Continuing to reduce crime and the harm it causes both individuals and our society as a whole is central to our ambitious vision to reform our justice system.”
Police Scotland deputy chief constable Fiona Taylor said: “Policing is relentless and these statistics underline the changing nature of community needs.
“Non-sexual crimes of violence have increased compared to the last five years, driven by increases in common assault and in ‘other crimes’ such as threats and extortion.”
Conversation