Reasonsforrise,saypolice Overallcrimestatsdown 36%in10-yearperiod Feweryoungpeopleare being convicted
number of partner agencies to ensure the highest quality of service and support is provided to victims of rape and sexual crime. We have seen an increase in sexual crimes reported to police, however, we believe that this is due to increased confidence among victims to come forward to police, no matter when the crime took place.
“We would encourage any victims of sexual crime to come forward to police in the assurance that they will be fully supported by specially-trained officers, and that we will do everything possible to ensure that the perpetrators are held to account and brought to justice.”
The number of nonsexual crimes of violence between 2015 and 2017 also rose in South Lanarkshire.
In 2015/16 there were four homicides (including causing death by driving), 163 attempted murder and
serious assaults, 58 robberies and 53 other violent crimes.
But in 2016/17 this jumped to eight, 203, 74 and 67 respectively.
Between 2007 and 2017, the number of non-sexual violent crimes did reduce from 731 to 352 – a drop of just over 50 per cent.
The number of cases of fireraising and vandalism jumped from 3043 to 3067, according to the report.
The figures do show, however, since 2007 the overall number of crimes recorded in South Lanarkshire fell by 36 per cent – from 19,980 to 12,715 – and in 2016/17 there were 401 crimes per 10,000 of population.
The number of cases of those handling offensive weapons has fallen markedly since 2007 – with the conviction rate of young people down over the same period.
In 2007/08, there were 17