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

Statistics on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Scotland in which a firearm was alleged to have been involved or where a firearm was stolen.


Main firearm recorded

Tables 4, 4a, 5a; Chart 1

Between 2015-16 and 2018-19, the most likely main firearm recorded was an air weapon. This changed in 2019-20, where the most likely main firearm recorded was a pistol/revolver. This then changed back to an air weapon for 2020-21 and 2021-22.

An air weapon was used in three-in-ten (30%, or 83 offences) of all offences involving a firearm in 2021-22, down from 102 offences (accounting for 29% of offences) in 2020-21. When unidentified and other firearms are excluded, air weapons were used in 41% of offences in 2021-22.

Over the last seven years, the number of offences involving an air weapon fell by 56% (from 190 to 83 offences).

Between 2020-21 and 2021-22, most of the remaining types of firearms saw a decrease. Unidentified firearms decreased by 29 (46%), pistol/revolver by 19 (35%), other firearms by 13 (25%), Shotgun by 6 (25%) and Imitation firearm by 3 (7%). Rifle was the only type of firearm that increased in this time period (up 9, or 69%).

In 2021-22, Air weapons were most common in Common assault (55%), Reckless conduct with a firearm (33%), Other crimes and offences (33%) and Possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, commit crime etc. (20%). It was also used in the only Attempted murder involving the alleged use of a firearm.

Chart 1 shows the type of weapon used in each offence as a proportion of the total number of offences recorded in each year (excluding unidentified and other firearms), 2015-16 to 2021-22.

Air weapon was the most common firearm recorded in offences involving the alleged use of a firearm in 2021-22 whilst Shotgun was the least common

Chart 1: Main firearm recorded in offences involving the alleged use of a firearm, as a percentage of recorded offences (excluding unidentified and other firearms), Scotland, 2015-16 to 2021-22
A line chart showing that air weapon was the main firearm recorded in most offences involving the alleged use of a firearm in every year from 2015-16 to 2021-22 except 2019-20. Shotgun and rifle were the two least common firearms recorded in every year between 2015-16 and 2021-22 except 2018-19.

Contact

Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

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