Recorded Crimes and Offences Involving Firearms, Scotland, 2020-21 and 2021-22

Annex 8: Classification

For the purposes of statistical reporting, the Scottish Government has a classification list containing around 600 crime and offence codes. These are grouped in this bulletin in the following list:

Homicide

Includes:

• Murder
• Culpable homicide (common law)

Attempted murder

• Attempted murder

Serious assault

• Serious assault
• Causing injury etc. by Culpable & Reckless Conduct
• Illegal driver, disqualified/unlicensed etc. causing serious injury
• Serious assault of retail worker
• Female genital mutilation

Robbery

• Robbery and assault with intent to rob

Vandalism

Includes:

• Vandalism
• Reckless Damage
• Computer Misuse Act 1990 (Causing Damage)

Reckless conduct with firearms

• Reckless conduct with firearms

Firearms Act 1968 offences

• Possess firearm with intent to endanger life, commit crime or resist arrest

Common assault

Includes:

• Common assault
• Minor assault of an emergency worker
• Common assault of a retail worker

Breach of the peace etc.

Includes:

• Breach of the peace
• Threatening or abusive behaviour
• Threaten or Abuse Retail Worker

Other crimes and offences

Includes:

• Possession of an offensive weapon
• Poaching and game laws
• Deer offences
• Cruelty to animals
• Offences involving animals
• Offences involving birds
• Sexual crimes
• Theft
• Housebreaking
• Weapons possession (both used and not used)
• Drugs offences
• Racially aggravated conduct
• Drunkenness & other disorderly conduct

In Scotland, assault is a common law offence. In order to distinguish between serious and common assaults, police forces use a common definition of what a serious assault is, namely:

“An assault or attack in which the victim sustains injury resulting in detention in hospital as an inpatient, for the treatment of that injury, or any of the following injuries whether or not detained in hospital:

• Fractures (the breaking or cracking of a bone. Note – nose is cartilage not bone, so a ‘broken nose’ should not be classified unless it meets one of the other criteria)
• Internal injuries
• Severe concussion
• Lacerations requiring sutures which may lead to impairment or disfigurement
• Any other injury which may lead to impairment or disfigurement.”