Homicide in Scotland 2018-2019: statistics

Key Points

This bulletin presents statistics on crimes of homicide recorded by the police in Scotland in 2018-19. Statistics are presented on the number of homicide cases recorded in Scotland, where a single case of homicide is counted for each crime involving Murder or Culpable homicide (common law), irrespective of the number of victims or accused. This bulletin also presents victim and accused data, the circumstances associated with the homicide, and additional details relating to the method, motive and relationship between the victim and the accused.

• Between 2017-18 and 2018-19, the number of homicide cases recorded by the police in Scotland increased by 2% (or one case) from 59 to 60 (Table 1). This is the third lowest number of recorded homicide cases for a single twelve month period since 1976, after 59 cases were recorded in each of 2015-16 and 2017-18.
• The number of homicide cases in Scotland has remained relatively stable in recent years, with between 59 and 63 cases recorded each year since 2012-13.
• Over the ten year period from 2009-10 to 2018-19, the number of homicide cases in Scotland fell by 25% (20 cases) from 80 to 60 (Table 1). Glasgow City accounted for over a third (35%) of this decrease. In 2018-19, over one fifth (13) of the 60 national recorded homicide cases occurred within Glasgow City (Table 2).
• In 2018-19, 61 victims of homicide were recorded, 3% (two victims) more than the 59 victims recorded in 2017-18 (Table 1). Of the 61 victims, 75% (46) were male (Table 5).
• In 2018-19, 83 persons were accused of homicide and 88% (73) of them were male (Table 6). Of the 60 cases of homicide recorded for 2018-19, 57 were solved and three are currently unsolved (Table 1).
• For each of the last ten years, the most common method of killing was with a sharp instrument (Table 7). In 2018-19, a sharp instrument was the main method of killing for 44% (27) of homicide victims.