Homicide in Scotland

Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published information on crimes of homicide as recorded by the police in Scotland in 2011-12.

The main findings are:

• In 2011-12, there were 88 homicide cases recorded by the police in Scotland, a decrease of 11% compared to 2010-11.
• The 88 homicide cases recorded in 2011-12 involved 90 victims, a decrease of 11% compared to the 101 victims that were recorded in 2010-11. This represented a rate of 17 victims per million population in Scotland, compared with 19 in 2010-11.
• There were 71 male homicide victims in 2011-2, 79% of the total number of victims recorded. The rate of male homicide victims (28 per million population) was four times the rate for female homicide victims (seven per million population).
• Of the 88 homicide cases recorded in 2011-12, a total of 124 accused persons were identified. The vast majority (93%) of accused persons were male, with over half (52%) of all accused being males aged between 16 and 30 years.
• The most common method of killing in the ten year period covered by this statistical bulletin was with a sharp instrument. In 2011-12, 47 homicide victims were killed by a sharp instrument, accounting for 52% of all homicide victims recorded.
• Strathclyde police force area, which contained 42% of the estimated population of Scotland in 2011, accounted for 58% (51) of all homicide cases recorded in 2011-12, decreasing from 63% (62) of all cases in 2010-11.