24 Sep 2019
Recorded crime has risen in Scotland for the second year in a row, which the Scottish Conservatives have described as a “catastrophic failure of the SNP’s soft touch approach to justice.”
Recorded Crime in Scotland 2018-19 published today, shows that crime has risen in Scotland by 1 per cent, or almost 2,000 crimes.
Most concerningly, violent crime has risen by a massive 10 per cent, the fourth annual rise in non-sexual crimes of violence, so violent crime is now at its highest level since 2011-12.
The publication also highlights that attempted murder and serious assault has also risen slightly, sexual crimes have risen by 8 per cent, and handling offensive weapons has risen 18 per cent.
At the same time that crime is rising, the clear up rates for violent crime decreased by 2.8 percentage points to the lowest level since 2010-11 and the clear up rates for sexual crimes are at their lowest level since 1979.
Liam Kerr, Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary said:
“This increase in crime for the second year in a row is a catastrophic failure of the SNP’s soft touch approach to justice.
“The worrying and significant rise in sexual and violent crime is compounded by the decreasing clear up rates, in what will be devastating news for victims.
“The SNP’s failure to ensure we have enough police on the streets is clearly having a negative impact, and their decision to abolish prison sentences of less than a year will only make things worse.
“If we are to address this worrying trend this SNP government must finally provide Police Scotland with proper resources and ensure there are enough officers on the frontline.”
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