VIOLENCE TRENDS

Over the last two decades, Scotland has experienced a significant reduction in violence, with recognition of the impact made through Scotland’s ‘public health approach’ to violence reduction. Scotland remains a safe place to live, work and visit and violent crime is at historically low levels with homicides at record low levels and attempted murders and serious assaults also at low levels compared to recent years. However, there remain concerns about some aspects of violent crime committed by young people and often committed against other young people. More recently violence in and around education settings has become a focus with some areas of violence and associated offences increasing.

When discussing this topic, we should be clear that the vast majority of children and young people will not and have no intention of involving themselves in violence. We should also be assured that the number of serious violent incidents remains low. When looking at recorded crime we see that levels of violence has largely remained the same over the last 6 years and has actually decreased over the last 12 months. We have however been monitoring some notable changes in behaviour such as a rise in instances of violence in educational settings. The average age of offenders has also reduced slightly, and we have also observed that, whilst still very much the minority, more young females are becoming involved in violence.

The reporting period for Q1 2025/26, has seen an overall decrease in the level of violence involving children and young people compared to last year . There were 1,914 violent crimes where an accused was a child identified during the quarter, compared to 2,301 last year. The proportion of violent crime (where an accused is identified) that involved a child was 17.5% compared to 19.5% for the same period last year.

There has also been a decrease in children identified as an accused for weapons offences during this quarter, with 436 offences recorded compared to 475 last year. The majority (57.3%) related to the use of weapon during another crime while the rest were for possession. 52 weapons offences during this period occurred in schools compared to 43 for last year. These were mostly in secondary schools although 11 crimes took place in primary schools.

The majority of violence involving children occurs in city/town centres and commercial premises, although there is also a considerable volume linked to care and educational settings. While most violence by children is targeted at other children - care workers, teachers, emergency workers and retail staff are also subjected to it. Despite encouraging year-to-date reductions in weapons offences and overall violent crime there has been an increase in attempted murders perpetrated by under 18s in the first quarter of this year.

Serious assaults for which a child has been an accused have decreased 40.9% in the first quarter of this year. There were 55 serious assaults recorded during Q1 involving a child under the age of 18 compared to 93 in the same period last year. The 55 crimes this year involved 57 accused under 18, while last year the 93 crimes involved 149 accused. The proportion of serious assaults (where an accused is identified) involving under 18s was 17.7% this year compared to 19.5% last year. The proportion of total offenders that were under 18 was 19.3% (down from 22.1%) last year.

Attempted murders where a child has been accused have increased to 17 in this year, in comparison to 5 in the same period last year. These seventeen crimes involved 20 children and accounted for almost a quarter (23.6%) of all attempted murders where an accused has been identified. This proportion last year was 7.2%.