SNP 'soft touch' justice blasted as data shows kids committed 14,000 violent crimes in one year
Almost 14,000 violent crimes were committed by kids as young as 11 in a year. Police Scotland data reveals the scale of youth violence across the country with a “sharp rise” in kids aged 11-14 being involved and often armed with weapons such as knives, blunt objects and bottles. Some victims were aged just 10.
Police Scotland, in a “deep dive” analysis, found there were 13,695 violent crimes involving youths in the year 2023/24. The majority (63 per cent) were common assaults with nearly a third (31.7 per cent) threatening or abusive behaviour. It comes amid critics’ claims youth crime is on the rampage under the SNP’s “soft touch justice” criminal justice system.
Scottish Tory deputy justice spokesperson Sharon Dowey MSP said: “The SNP’s soft-touch approach to justice is threatening to allow youth crime to spiral out of control. Perverse sentencing guidelines mean many violent under 25s are avoiding jail and are free to offend again.
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“The Nationalists must stop pandering to young people responsible for violent crime and give our police and justice system the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”
According to the Police Scotland performance report, a surge in young people accused of violent crimes from ages 11 to 14 is followed by reduced numbers for ages 15-17 then a slight rise again for those aged 18.
Knives were the most common weapon, used or present in 38.9 per cent of crimes with an identifiable weapon, with blunt objects at 16.4 per cent and bottles present in 14 per cent of incidents.
There is also a large number of repeat offenders, with 1920 young people committing more than one violent crime within the period – 22 per cent of all those accused. Of repeat offenders, 205 were accused of five or more violent crimes, with 22 accused of 10 or more.
Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire were violent youth crime hotspots with the North East, Lothian & Borders and Fife seeing the highest volume of school-based offending. The data also shows a sharp rise in the number of young victims of adolescent crime, with kids as young as 10 reporting assaults.
Peak months for youth violence are May, June and September which Police Scotland say is likely due to the “combined factor of good weather making public spaces busier and school term times”. July had the lowest level of youth-accused violent crime between the months of April and October.
Police Scotland said: “The age of complainers of violent crimes for which a young person is accused rises sharply between 11 and 14.”
The force said more than a quarter of the crimes are committed in “open spaces” with just under a quarter in residential schools or accommodation and around 10 per cent in schools. Two thirds were carried out by males and one third by girls.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland said: “Our analysis gives insight into where violent incidents and knife crime is most prevalent.” The Scottish Government said: “We have invested more than £4million over the past two years to deliver activities to prevent violence and help keep people safe.”
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