§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of crimes involving violence was committed by persons under 21 years of age in the latest available year; and by what percentage that was an increase or decrease over the previous year's figures.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe table below sets out the numbers of persons age 17 to 20 who were convicted of a crime of violence in 1970 and 1971 and the percentage they bear to all persons over the age of 17 similarly convicted. Because of the changes introduced by Part III of the Social Work (Scotland) Act, 1968, no such direct comparison is possible in relation to persons under 17.
Crimes of violence comprise murder, attempts to murder, culpable homicide, assaults, threats, rape, assaults with intent to ravish and indecent assault.
Aged 17–20 Total aged 17 and over Percentage (1) of (2) (1) (2) (3) 1970 … 372 1,124 33.1 1971 … 398 1,216 32.7
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information is available to him to indicate in what percentage of crimes involving violence in the latest available year alcoholic consumption was a considerable factor.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe statistical information available to me about crimes is not in a form which enables me to distinguish this.
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§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what percentage in the latest available year the number of crimes involving violence rose or fell; and what was the number.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe provisional number of crimes of violence known to the police in Scotland in 1971 was 3,708, an increase of 504 or 15.8 per cent, compared with the corresponding figure of 3,204 in 1970.
Crimes of violence comprise murder, attempts to murder, culpable homicide, assaults, threats, rape, assaults with intent to ravish and indecent assault.