Recorded crime in Scotland has dropped to its lowest level in 35 years despite a rise in rape and attempted rape cases.
Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said: “These figures show that the SNP Government’s commitment to tackling crime is reaping rewards with a 35-year low in recorded crime.
“In Tayside there was a huge 14% decrease in drug offences – something I’m particularly pleased about. The clear-up rates for two of the five major crime categories has increased and Tayside’s clear-up rate for all crimes remains above the Scottish average.
“With knife crime also falling by 38% since the SNP came to power, it is clear that the efforts of the SNP and communities is having an effect.
“Since 2007, the SNP has made tackling crime a key priority by investing in the prevention of crime.”
Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick reiterated that the government is determined to stamp out knife crime, which will be aided by the Lord Advocate announcing tougher prosecution for those found carrying the weapon in public.
He said: “We are also committed to protecting frontline police numbers unlike the dangerous and damaging cuts to policing being made in England.
“There is always more to do to make our streets safer and the SNP will legislate to ensure that crime rates continue to fall by tackling the booze and blade culture and expanding our Cashback For Communities scheme to ensure more of the money from crime goes to support our communities.”
Scottish Tory justice spokesman John Lamont MSP said it would be “churlish” not to point out the positives in the figures but warned many serious crimes had gone up.
Meanwhile the Lib Dems said Mr MacAskill should be alarmed by the rise in violent crime.
Figures released by the justice department show overall crime fell by 4%, equating to 15,000 fewer incidents in 2010-11 than in the previous year.
Crimes of vandalism, including fire-raising and malicious mischief, decreased by 12% to just over 82,000, while drug crime is down 13% to 34,347 the lowest it has been in over a decade.
But rape and attempted rape rose by 14% to its highest five-year point, with 1,131 cases reported, and violent crime is up by 2%. Domestic housebreaking is also up 5%, to 25,017.
It is the fourth consecutive year that recorded crime in Scotland has dropped.
Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill welcomed the findings published in the Recorded Crime in Scotland paper, which came on the same day that separate figures show police numbers remain above the government’s target for an additional 1,000 officers.
Mr MacAskill said: “The statistics we have seen this year show Scotland is becoming safer crime is down, fear of crime is down, the number of people carrying out crime is down and those who do break the law are being punished swiftly by Scotland’s justice system.
“However, we are pledged to do everything we can to keep bringing these numbers down, because crime remains too high.
“Police the length and breadth of Scotland are to be congratulated on their work to prevent and detect crime and catch criminals and I am particularly pleased to see the clear-up rate for violent crime is now at its highest level in 35 years.”
The clear-up rate for all recorded crimes over 2010/11 was 49%, which matched the previous two years’ figures, while the clear-up rate for non-sexual crimes of violence rose from 67% to 72%.
Meanwhile, the number of offences reported to police over the same period is down 6% to 530,436.
The justice secretary said: “I particularly welcome the 11% reduction in crimes involving offensive weapons, an area where we’ve seen crimes fall by more than a third since 2006-7.Definition change”Although comparisons over time cannot be relied upon, as the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 which came into force in December last year widens the definition of rape, I was concerned to see a rise in the figures for rape and attempted rape.
“Lord Carloway is currently carrying out a review of Scots criminal law, and he will examine the principle of corroboration, which affects many rape cases brought before the courts.”
Crime dropped across Courier country, with a 1% drop in Tayside while Fife saw the best result of Scotland’s eight police forces with crime down 12%.
Fife recorded decreases across all crime groups except for non-sexual crimes of violence, which increased by 32%. The number of recorded crimes in the Tayside Police area decreased for the sixth consecutive year but the number of offences is up slightly.
In 2010-11 the force saw increases in clear up for two of the five main crime categories and above the national average.Dundee’s recordHowever Dundee has the unenviable title of having the worst record for domestic housebreaking crimes in the country with 56 incidents for every 10,000 people.
Divisional commander for Dundee, Chief Superintendent Gavin Robertson, said: “This reflects the significant increase in housebreaking experienced in 2010 and include break-ins to vacant premises, building sites, outbuildings, sheds and garages, not solely to people’s homes.
“When viewed over a 10-year period, domestic housebreaking has fallen.”
“Short-term increases like that experienced last year have occurred previously without adversely affecting the overall downward trend and we work extremely hard to reverse any ‘spike’ in crime which is identified.”
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