Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland: Monitoring Framework, 2025
Monitoring framework to support the delivery of the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland.
Part of
3. Reduction in Serious assault and attempted murder
Serious assault is the act of assault which occasions severe injury[29]. Attempted murder is an intention to kill, or a wilful act so reckless as to show that the person who committed it was utterly regardless of the consequences. The purpose of this indicator theme is to monitor trends in Non-sexual violent crime that result in the most significant physical harm.
3.1 Number of recorded crimes of Serious assault and attempted murder
Figure 8: Serious assault and attempted murder recorded by the police has been on a downward trend since 2018-19.
Serious assault and attempted murder recorded by the police, Scotland, 2015-16 to 2024-25.
Source: Scottish Government - Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25.
Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Serious assault and attempted murder decreased by 8% from 3,285 to 3,024 crimes. There was a 25% decrease over the 10 year period from 2015-16[30] to 2024-25, from 4,007 to 3,024 crimes.
Serious assault and attempted murder make up 4% of all recorded Non-sexual crimes of violence. Crimes of Serious assault and attempted murder are now at the lowest level since 1977, when 2,966 crimes were recorded.
In 2024-25, crimes of Serious assault of police officer/staff and Serious assault of emergency worker (non-police) are identifiable crimes for the first time, having previously been included under the broader crime of Serious assault. There were 20 recorded crimes of Serious assault of police officer/ staff and 12 crimes of Serious assault of emergency worker (non-police).
Serious assault of retail worker, which came in to effect on 24 August 2021 under the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021, fell from 13 crimes in 2023-24 to 11 in 2024-25.
In 2024-25, around two thirds (68%) of distinct accused persons of crimes of Serious assault and attempted murder cleared up[31] by the police were aged 25 years or older. Of the 2,792 distinct accused persons of these crimes, 44% (1,220) were aged 25 to 39, 24% (682) were aged 16 to 24, 22% (609) were aged 40 to 59, 7% (198) were aged 12 to 15, and 2% (57) were aged 60 and over[32]. The number of distinct accused per 10,000 population was highest for those aged 16 to 24 (12 per 10,000) – closely followed by those aged 25 to 39 (11 per 10,000) - and lowest for those aged 60 and over (less than one per 10,000). The number of distinct accused per 10,000 population was 8 for those aged 12 to 15 and 4 for those aged 40 to 59.
[29] For the definition of Serious assault and Attempted murder, please see the Glossary or User Guide to Recorded Crime: 2024-25.
[30] The baseline for this indicator is chosen to align with changes to the guidelines on the interpretation of serious assault, introduced in January 2015, which may have resulted in some crimes that would previously have been recorded as common assaults falling into the category of serious assault (see recorded crime user guide for further details).
[31] To note data reported here on age of accused is for crimes of Serious assault and attempted murder cleared up by the police, whereas the data used for the indicator measure is for all crimes of Serious assault and attempted murder recorded by the police.
[32] The age was other or unknown for 26 (1%) of distinct accused persons in 2024-25. ‘Other or unknown’ includes persons under the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland and accused persons with age undisclosed by Police Scotland.
Contact
Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot