Perception of Crime

Question 1

Crime Rates

Answer 1

Evidence: Recent Scottish Crime and Justice Survey evidence suggests that overall crime in Scotland has been on a downward trend in recent years
Counter argument: Crimes of dishonesty, eg theft, shoplifting, and fraud increased by 7% in 2023/24 compared to the previous year.
International Comparison: Suriname had a homicide rate of 29.9 in September 2024. This is a 382% rise from the same period in 2023 to 2024.

Question 2

Violent Crime (Gun Crime)

Answer 2

Evidence: In the year 2023, data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed 6,233 offences involving the use of firearms. Over the past decade there has been a 21% increase in such offences.
Counter argument: The increase in firearms offending is driven by increased use of imitation firearms. In 2022, imitation firearms surpassed handguns for the most prevalent type used in firearms offences.
International Comparison: In the USA the rate of gun deaths has increased 34% from 2014 to 2023 with 125 being killed by gun every day

Question 3

Property Crime

Answer 3

Evidence: Property crime in England and Wales has fallen by 54% over the last decade.
Counter argument: In 2024, there were over 150,000 theft from the person offences, a 22% increase 2023, with a 70% increase in London over 2 years.
International Comparison: In Australia, break-ins have decreased by nearly 50% over the past decade

Question 4

Cyber Crime

Answer 4

Evidence: As of 2024, approximately 58% of large companies in the UK reported experiencing cybercrime within the past year. Cybercrime costs the UK up to £4.6 billion annually. Scammers stole £11.4 billion from British shoppers in 2024.
International Comparison: In 2023, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 880,000 complaints, marking a nearly 10% increase from the previous year. The overall monetary loss attributed to cybercrime in the United States reached approximately $12.5 billion in 2023.