Getting to the bottom of region’s crime figures

Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the East Kilbride News.

The publishing of crime figures is important as it provides an indication as to whether or not policies are working and if the war against those breaking the law is being won.

Since 2007, Scottish Government statistics show that overall crime is down 36 per cent in South Lanarkshire. This is news to be welcomed.

Notable successes include the number of cases involving those handling offensive weapons and the number of young people convicted.

But a 131 per cent rise in the number of sexual crimes between 2007 and 2017 is particularly shocking.

However, part of this rise, it is assessed, can be put down to police investigating historical cases with victims feeling confident in coming forward.

That is a good thing but it will be interesting to see how this figure moves over the course of the next decade.

Elsewhere in the paper and there is your weekly chance to win a £50 gift card to spend at EK, East Kilbride. See page 16 for details.

Fancy a meal at Di Maggio’s East Kilbride? Then enter our competition on page 28 to win a £50 gift voucher.

Perhaps you’d like to sit back and enjoy a film – fill in the coupon on page 8 for the chance to win a pair of tickets to Odeon Luxe East Kilbride. Meanwhile, hundreds of super students across East Kilbride have graduated – and proud parents and guardians can have their loved one’s picture published in the News for FREE.

Simply email the graduation photo to news@eastkilbridenews.co.uk with the individual’s name, where they’re from, their place of study, subject, honour and what they are doing next included.