Number of murders and killings in Scotland falls to record low

The number of murders and killings in Scotland has fallen to a record low.

Over the last year, 53 victims of homicide have been recorded by Police Scotland, down from 59 in the 2020-21 period.

Murder and manslaughter are two of the offences that constitute homicide.

Of those 53 victims in the most recent period, 37 (70%) were men and 16 (30%) were women.

The majority of the 63 people accused of homicide were also men, with 61 accused (97%).

For all of the 53 homicide victims recorded in the last year, the case was solved by police.

Most homicides (70%) recorded took place in a residential location, with 25% occurring in a public place outdoors and 6% took place in a public place indoors.

Nearly half (47%) of victims in the last year were killed using a sharp instrument – 88% of which involved a knife.

Of those victims, 17% were killed by hitting and kicking, while 2% were killed by shooting.

Within the last decade, the number of homicide victims in Scotland has fallen by 16%.

During that period, the most common method of killing with a sharp instrument.

Justice secretary Keith Brown said that the Scottish Government is making “considerable investment” in supporting prevention work.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Brown also acknowledged the number of homicides related to domestic abuse, as he underlined the support being made available.

He continued: “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 (SPA) and Police Scotland to support the delivery of the Joint Policing Strategy to ensure we continue to have a safe, protected and resilient Scotland.”