Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2018/19: main findings

Summary infographics: plain text version

Key findings from SCJS 2018/19 on: Overview of crime in Scotland

• The total number of crimes is estimated to have fallen by over two fifths since 2008/09, though showing no change since 2017/18
• Similarly, the proportion of adults experiencing crime has fallen from around one in five in 2008/09 to one-in-eight in 2018/19
• The likelihood of experiencing crime in 2018/19 was higher for those in urban areas and those in the most deprived areas, with those aged 60 and over least likely to be victims
• A small number of victims experienced a high proportion of all crime. The 3.5% of adults who are multiple victims experienced just over half of all crime.

There were 573,000 crimes committed against adults in 2018/19.

• This is a 45% decrease in crime in Scotland since 2008/09, but no change since 2017/18
• 12.4% of adults experienced crime in 2018/19. This is a 8 percentage point decrease in adults experiencing violent crime in Scotland since 2008/09, but no change since 2017/18.

What type of crime was experienced?

• 71% was property crime. Of all property crime, vandalism (38%), personal theft (24%), other household theft (23%), motor vehicle theft (9%) and housebreaking (6%).
• 29% was violent crime. Of all violent crime, the majority was minor assault with no /negligible injury (60%). Other violent crime comprises minor assault with injury (22%), attempted assault (8%), serious assault (7%) and robbery (3%).
• 36% of the all crime experienced by adults were reported to police

A small number of victims experienced a high proportion of all crime.

• 87.6% of adults did not experience any crime in 2018/19
• 8.9% of adults experienced one crime, corresponding to over two-fifths (45%) of all crime in 2018/19
• 3.5% of adults experienced two or more crimes. These victims experienced over half (55%) of all crime in 2018/19. However this rate of multiple victimisation has more than halved from 8.2% in 2008/09.

12.4% of adults experienced crime. This rate varied across the population.

• Those aged 60 and over were less likely than other age groups to experience crime
• People living in the most deprived areas were more likely than those living elsewhere in Scotland to experience crime
• People living in urban areas were more likely than those living in rural areas to experience crime
• There was no difference in the likelihood of men and women experiencing crime

Key findings from SCJS 2018/19 on: Focus on violent crime

• The total number of violent crimes is estimated to have fallen by almost half since 2008/09, mostly driven by decreases between 2008/09 and 2010/11, but has been more stable in recent years
• The proportion of adults experiencing violent crime has fallen since 2008/09
• The majority of violent crimes were minor assault with no or negligible injury (60%). Other violent crime comprises minor assault with injury (22%), attempted assault (8%), serious assault (7%) and robbery (3%).
• Experiences varied across the population with 0.7% of adults experiencing three-fifths of violent crime

There were 165,000 violent crimes committed against adults in 2018/19.

• This is a 48% decrease in violent crime in Scotland since 2008/09, but no change since 2017/18
• 2.2% of adults experienced violent crime in 2018/19. This is a 1.9 percentage point decrease in adults experiencing violent crime in Scotland since 2008/09, but no change since 2017/18.

Facts about violent crime in 2018/19.

• Around half of violent crimes took place in public settings (46%)
• Almost four-in-five violent crimes were committed by male offenders (79%)
• Offenders were believed to be under the influence of alcohol in three-in-five violent crimes (59%)
• Violent crime in 2018/19 did not commonly involve the presence or use of weapons (13%)
• 40% of violent crimes were reported to the police

A small number of victims experienced a high proportion of violent crime.

• Most adults (97.8%) did not experience any violent crime in 2018/19.
• 1.5% of the population experienced one violent crime, corresponding to two-fifths (40%) of all violent crime in 2018/19.
• 0.7% of adults experienced two or more violent crimes. These victims experienced almost three-fifths (60%) of all violent crime in 2018/19. However this rate of repeat victimisation has fallen from 1.6% in 2008/09.

2.2% of adults experienced violent crime. This rate varied across age groups.

• People aged 60 and over were less likely than other age groups to experience violent crime
• There was no difference between men and women in the likelihood of experiencing violent crime
• There was no difference between those living in the most deprived areas and elsewhere in Scotland in the likelihood of experiencing violent crime
• There was no difference between urban and rural areas in the likelihood of experiencing violent crime

Key findings from SCJS 2018/19 on: Focus on property crime

• The total number of property crimes is estimated to have fallen by over two-fifths since 2008/09, but is unchanged since 2017/18
• The proportion of adults experiencing property crime fell from 18.0% in 2008/09 to 10.9% in 2018/19
• The most common types of property crimes were vandalism, personal theft, and other household theft
• A small number of victims experienced a high proportion of property crime. The 2.5% of adults who were repeat victims experienced 45% of all property crime

There were 408,000 Property crime committed against adults in Scotland in 2018/19.

• There has been a 44% decrease in the amount property crime experienced in Scotland since 2008/09, but no change since 2017/18
• 10.9% of adults experienced property crime in 2018/19. This was a 7.1 percentage point decrease in adults experiencing property crime in Scotland since 2008/09.

Facts about property crime in 2017/18.

• 38% of property crime was vandalism
• 24% was personal theft
• 23% was other household theft (including bicycle theft)
• 9% was motor vehicle related theft
• 6% was housebreaking.
• 34% of property crimes were reported to the police.

A small number of victims experienced a high proportion of property crime.

• Most adults (89.1%) did not experience any property crime in 2018/19
• 8.3% of adults experienced one property crime, corresponding to over half (55%) of all property crime in 2018/19
• 2.5% of adults experienced two or more property crimes. These victims experienced 45% of all property crime in 2018/19. However this rate of repeat victimisation has more than halved from 6.4% in 2008/09.

10.9% of adults experienced property crime. This rate varied across the population.

• Women were more likely than men to experience property crime
• People aged 60 and over were less likely than other age groups to experience property crime
• People living in the most deprived areas were more likely than those living elsewhere in Scotland to experience property crime
• People living in urban areas were more likely than those living in rural areas to experience property crime

Key findings from SCJS 2018/19 on: Public perceptions of the police

• The majority of adults in Scotland (56%) believed the police in their local area were doing an excellent or good job in 2018/19 (unchanged from 2017/18 but down from 61% in 2012/13)

How confident were people in the ability of the police?

• Adults were generally confident in the police across a range of different aspects of policing
• The proportion of adults confident in each of these aspects has increased since 2008/09
  • 50% were confident in the police’s ability to prevent crime, up 4 percentage points from 2008/09
  • 62% were confident in the police’s ability to respond quickly, up 8 percentage points from 2008/09
  • 65% were confident in the police’s ability to deal with incidents, up 7 percentage points from 2008/09
  • 70% were confident in the police’s ability to investigate incidents, up 6 percentage points from 2008/09
  • 63% were confident in the police’s ability to solve crimes, up 6 percentage points from 2008/09
  • 60% were confident in the police’s ability to catch criminals, up 5 percentage points from 2008/09

Other views on the police

• 87% of adults agreed that ‘the police in this area would treat you with respect if you had contact with them for any reason’
• 63% of adults agreed that ‘police in this area can be relied on to be there when you need them’
• 62% of adults agreed that ‘the police in this area treat everyone fairly regardless of who they are’
• 50% of adults agreed that ‘the police in this area listen to the concerns of local people’
• 42% of adults agreed that ‘overall, people have a lot of confidence in the police in this area’
• 24% of adults agreed that ‘community relations with the police in this local area are poor’
• 22% adults agreed that ‘police in this area are not dealing with the things that matter to people in this community’
• Victims of crime and those living in the 15% most deprived areas were less likely than non-victims and those living in the rest of Scotland to say the police were doing a good or excellent job in 2018/19

Key findings from SCJS 2018/19 on: Public perceptions of Crime

Local Crime

• 73% of adults thought the local crime rate had stayed the same or reduced in the two years prior to interview, up 4 percentage points since 20068/09, but no change since 2017/18
• 22% of adults thought that the local crime rate had increased

National Crime

• 44% thought that the national crime rate stayed the same or reduced, up 4 percentage points since 2009/10, but down 4 percentage points since 2017/18
• 46% of adults thought that the national crime rate had increased

Fear of crime

• 78% of adults felt safe walking alone after dark in 2018/19, up 12 percentage points since 2008/09, but unchanged since 2017/18
• This rate varied across the population
  • 70% of victims of crime felt safe walking alone after dark
  • 64% of people living in the most deprived areas felt safe walking alone after dark
  • Females (66%) were less likely than males (89%) to feel safe walking alone after dark

Of a range of crimes asked about, people were most commonly worried about fraud

• 50% of adults were worried that someone would use their credit card or bank details
• 41% of adults were worried that their identity would be stolen
• Across a range of crimes, a greater proportion of adults thought that they were likely to experience crime (over the next year) than the proportion who were actually victims in 2018/19