Homicide in Scotland 2019-20

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today published Homicide in Scotland, 2019-20. The publication provides information on crimes of homicide recorded by the police in Scotland in 2019-20. The main findings are:

• between 2018-19 and 2019-20, the number of homicide cases recorded by the police in Scotland increased by 3% (or two cases) from 62 to 64 - this remains one of the lowest number of recorded homicide cases for a single twelve month period since 1976
• the number of homicide cases in Scotland has remained relatively stable in recent years, with between 59 and 64 cases recorded each year since 2012-13
• over the 10 year period from 2010-11 to 2019-20, the number of homicide cases in Scotland fell by 35% (34 cases) from 98 to 64
• in 2019-20, 64 victims of homicide were recorded, 2% (one victim) more than the 63 victims recorded in 2018-19
• of the 64 victims, 70% (45) were male
• in 2019-20, 76 persons were accused of homicide and 92% (70) of them were male
• of the 64 cases of homicide recorded for 2019-20, 63 were solved and one is currently unsolved
• for each of the last 10 years, the most common method of killing was with a sharp instrument and in 2019-20, a sharp instrument was the main method of killing for 55% (35) of homicide victims

Background

The full statistical publication can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/homicide-scotland-2019-2020/

The term “sharp instrument” includes knives, broken bottles, swords, sharpened screwdrivers and any other pointed or edged weapons.

Further information on Crime and Justice statistics within Scotland can be accessed at: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice

National statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of National statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/About