Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland: Monitoring Framework, 2025
Monitoring framework to support the delivery of the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland.
Part of
8. Reduction in violence involving weapons
The VPF seeks to prevent weapons-related violence through actions which target weapon carrying (amongst some young people, and older people with histories of violence), with a particular focus on preventing knife crime.
This indicator has three measures attached to monitor trends in weapons-related violence in Scotland. These are: perceptions of whether a violent crime involved a weapon; the total number of crimes recorded by the police where an offensive weapon was used; and the number of recorded crimes where an article with a blade or sharp point was used in public. Considering these trends alongside trends in hospital admissions for assault with a sharp object (see indicator 9 – serious injury from violence) and perceptions of knife carrying (see indicator 14 – fear of violence) further enhances our understanding of weapons-related violence in Scotland.
While the three measures attached to this indicator theme have all trended upwards since 2017-18, emergency hospital admissions for assault with a sharp object has been on a downwards trend over the same period, and over the longer term. Perceptions of knife carrying in local communities are lower than in 2008-09, but are at a similar level in 2023-24 to in 2017-18.
A 2018 Scottish Government study on recorded crimes of handling offensive weapons in Scotland found that where an offensive weapon was used in other criminal activity the most common crime committed against a person was threatening or abusive behaviour (44%), followed by common assault (32%), and serious assault (14%). The same report found that over three fifths (61%) of crimes committed against a person involved no contact between the weapon and the victim. In a further 10% of crimes, contact with the victim was made but no physical injuries were reported. In the remaining 29% of crimes, there was some degree of physical injury sustained by the victim.
In 2017-18, the Scottish Crime Recording Board made a procedural change to how some crimes of handling an offensive weapon were recorded. This had an impact on the comparability of the recorded crime statistics before and after this point. As a result of this change, crimes of handling an offensive weapon have been substantially higher since 2017-18. This does not represent a real increase in recorded crime. The baseline year for this measure (8.2) and measure 8.3 below acknowledge this recording change.
When interpreting trends for measures 8.2 and 8.3 it is also important to note that implementation of part 4 of the Offensive Weapons Act (Scotland) 2019 in 2023 prohibited the possession in private of dangerous and offensive weapons to which Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 and Criminal Justice Act 1988 apply. The effect of this, coupled with existing law, is to make possession in any place of these weapons an offence[36].
8.1 Proportion of violent crime including the presence of a weapon (where someone saw or heard what was happening)
Figure 14: Following a downward trend between 2010-11 to 2017-18, the proportion of violent crimes perceived to involve a perpetrator with a weapon has increased to its current level (of 29%) which is similar to that in 2008-09.
Proportion of violent crime perceived to involve the presence of a weapon, Scotland, 2008-09 to 2023-24.
Source: Scottish Government - Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24.
Where a violent incident involved someone seeing or hearing what was going on, over a quarter (29%) in 2023-24 involved a perpetrator with a weapon. This proportion fell from one in four (25%) in 2010-11 to one in eight (12%) in 2017-18. Since then, it has increased to its current level (of 29%) which is similar to that in 2008-09 (28%).
When combining categories (in a similar way to the police recorded crime statistics – see indicator 8.2 below) the SCJS found that bladed/pointed articles[37] were used in 10% of violent incidents where someone saw or heard what was happening. Due to small sample sizes, sub-group data can fluctuate.
8.2 Number of recorded crimes of Handling an offensive weapon used in other criminal activity
Figure 15: Recorded crimes of Handling an offensive weapon used in other criminal activity have been on an upward trend since 2017-18.
Crimes of Handling an offensive weapon used in other criminal activity, Scotland, 2017-18 to 2024-25.
Source: Scottish Government - Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25.
Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Handling an offensive weapon[38] (used in other criminal activity) increased by 11% from 6,076 to 6,744 crimes. This has been on an upward trend since 2017-18 when 4,163 crimes of weapons possession (used in other criminal activity) were recorded by the police; an increase of 62% between 2017-18 and 2024-25.
In 2024-25, 115 crimes of Handling an offensive weapon (used in other criminal activity) occurred within a school, compared to 95 in 2023-24.
In 2024-25, around two thirds (67%) of distinct accused persons of crimes of weapons possession (used in other criminal activity) cleared up[39] by the police were aged 25 years or older. Of the 4,212 distinct accused persons of these crimes, 40% (1,667) were aged 25 to 39, 25% (1,054) were aged 40 to 59, 19% (821) were aged 16-24, 11% (459) were aged 12 to 15, and 2% (104) were aged 60 and over[40]. The number of distinct accused per 10,000 population was highest for those aged 12 to 15 (18 per 10,000) and lowest for those aged 60 and over (1 per 10,000). The number of distinct accused per 10,000 population was 15 for those aged 25 to 39, 14 for those aged 16 to 24, and 7 for those aged 40 to 59.
8.3 Number of recorded crimes of Handling in public an article with a blade[41] or sharp point used in other criminal activity
Figure 16: The number of recorded crimes of Handling in public an article with a blade or sharp point used in criminal activity has been on an upward trend since 2017-18.
Crimes of Handling in public an article with a blade or sharp point used in criminal activity recorded by the police, Scotland, 2017-18 to 2024-25.
Source: Scottish Government - Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25.
Between 2017-18 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Having in a public place an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity increased by 33% from 1,595 to 2,125 crimes.
Having increased for two consecutive years between 2017-18 and 2019-20, the recording of these crimes remained relatively stable before increasing by 12% from 1,910 in 2022-23 to 2,137 in 2023-24. Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Having in a public place an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity decreased by 1% (or 12 crimes).
In 2024-25, around two thirds (69%) of distinct accused persons of crimes of having in a public place an article with a blade or point (used in other criminal activity) cleared up[42] by the police were aged 25 years or older. Of the 1,372 distinct accused persons of these crimes, 42% (577) were aged 25-39, 25% (343) were aged 40 to 59, 21% (291) were aged 16-24, 8% (113) were aged 12 to 15, and 2% (22) were aged 60 and older[43]. The number of distinct accused per 10,000 population was the same (5 per 10,000 population) for those aged 12 to 15, 16 to 24 and 25 to 39, was 2 per 10,000 for those aged 40-59 and was less than one per 10,000 for those aged 60 and over.
[36] Please see the Recorded Crime in Scotland User Guide for further details.
[37] Bladed/pointed articles include knives, screwdrivers and syringes.
[39] To note data reported here on age of accused is for crimes of handling an offensive weapon used in other criminal activity cleared up by the police, whereas the data used for the indicator measure is for all crimes of handling an offensive weapon used in other criminal activity recorded by the police.
[40] The age was other or unknown for 107 (3%) 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.
[41] For the definition of ‘article with a blade or sharp point’ please see the Glossary
[42] To note data reported here on age of accused is for crimes of Having in a public place an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity cleared up by the police, whereas the data used for the indicator measure is for all crimes of Having in a public place an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity recorded by the police.
[43] The age was other or unknown for 26 (2%) 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