Scottish Government outlines homicide rates are at all time low

The number of homicides across Scotland last year has reached its lowest point since records began in 1976.

The latest official figures show 53 people were the victim of homicide in 2021-22, six less than the previous year and down 54 per cent over the past 15 years.

This year, Scottish Government has provided partners with more than £2 million for ongoing and new innovative violence prevention activity across Scotland, including an increase of 14 per cent to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit’s budget.

This funding builds on more than £24m in government investment since 2008, as part of sustained efforts to prevent violence.

This includes providing more than £16m to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit and over £4.5m to No Knives, Better Lives, a nationwide programme aimed at deterring young people from anti-social behaviour and carrying knives.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “Scotland continues to be a safe place to live and this latest reduction in homicides is in line with the significant downward trend seen in other categories of violent crime over the past 15 years.

“However every death caused by homicide is a tragedy that leaves grieving families and friends in its wake, which is why tackling all forms of violent crime continues to be a top priority for this Government.

“We are continuing to make considerable investment in supporting prevention work with people of all ages and ensuring Scotland's law enforcement agencies and courts have the resources to deal with those who harm others.

“In recognition of the fact that more than half of female victims were killed by a partner or ex-partner, we are working on additional measures which will help prevent and reduce the number of homicides related to domestic abuse and give a voice to those who have been killed.

“We remain committed to working closely with both the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to support the delivery of the Joint Policing Strategy to ensure we continue to have a safe, protected and resilient Scotland.”

Scotland’s Chief Statistician published Homicide in Scotland, 2021-22. The publication provides information on crimes of homicide recorded by the police in Scotland in 2021-22. The main findings were:

• In 2021-22, 53 victims of homicide were recorded, 10 per cent (or six victims) fewer than the 59 victims recorded in 2020-21. This is the lowest number of recorded homicide victims since comparable records began in 1976.

• Over the 10-year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22, the number of homicide victims in Scotland fell by 16 per cent (or 10 victims) from 63 to 53. That decrease was primarily based on the fall in 2021-22, with the number of victims over 2012-13 to 2020-21 remaining relatively stable (at between 59 and 66 victims recorded each year).

• Of the 53 victims recorded in 2021-22, 70 per cent (37) were male and 30 per cent (16) were female.

• In 2021-22, 63 people were accused of homicide, of which 97 per cent (61) were male. For all of the 53 homicide victims recorded in 2021-22, the associated case was solved.

• For each of the last 10 years, the most common method of killing was with a sharp instrument. In 2021-22, a sharp instrument was the main method of killing for 47 per cent (25) of homicide victims.

• In 2021-22, of the 36 male victims where the relationship to the accused was known, 61 per cent (22 victims) were killed by an acquaintance. Over half (56 per cent or nine victims) of the 16 female victims were killed by a partner or ex-partner.

• While most recorded cases of homicide in these statistics have one victim and one accused, some cases can have multiple victims and (or) accused. There were 52 homicide cases recorded in 2021-22, seven per cent (or four cases) fewer than the 56 recorded in 2020-21.