Every homicide committed in Scotland since 2013 has been solved by Police Scotland
The number of homicides in Scotland is at its lowest level since records began with Police Scotland boasting a 100 per cent record in solving cases.
Police Scotland says its homicide detection rate means that every one of the 605 murders committed since the inception of the single national service in 2013 has been solved.
In addition, a significant number of ‘cold cases’, some committed many decades ago, have also been detected with the culprits identified, often using the latest technologies, and brought to trial, it said.
These have included the murders of Brenda Page in 1978 and Renee MacRae in 1976.
The latest figures from Scotland’s Chief Statistician published on Tuesday (October 31) show there were 51 homicide incidents recorded in 2022/23, one fewer than the 52 recorded in the previous year.
This is the lowest number of recorded homicide victims since comparable records began in 1976.
Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone, head of Major Crime at Police Scotland, said: “Every murder is a tragedy for individuals, families, and local communities.
“Our dedicated murder investigators bring a high level of professional practice, compassion, competence and commitment to each investigation. As a single national service we are able to bring a consistent approach, working with partners, to every investigation.
“We hope this commitment gives the public confidence in their police service.
“The pursuit of justice, regardless of the passage of time, is a core duty of policing and central to public confidence and police legitimacy.
“We apply the same level of commitment and professionalism to unresolved cases from the past, to provide answers and justice for families, even after decades.”
In the past 20 years the number of homicide victims has more than halved from the 109 in 2003/04 – a fall of 52 per cent or 57 victims.
Over the latest ten-year period, the number of victims has fallen by 16 per cent – ten victims – from the 62 in 2013/14.
The biggest reduction in homicide victims over the past 20 years has been among young people aged 16-24.
In the five years between 2003/04 and 2007/08 there were 126 victims in this age range. This dropped to 24 across the latest five years to 2022/23.
Of the 52 victims recorded in 2022/23, 75 per cent (39) were male and 25 per cent (13) were female.
Over the past year, 73 people were accused of homicide, of which 88 per cent (64) were male and 12 per cent (nine) were female. For all the 52 homicide victims recorded in 2022/23, the associated case was solved.
For each of the past 20 years, the most common method of killing was with a sharp instrument. In 2022/23, a sharp instrument was the main method of killing for 58 per cent (or 30) of homicide victims.
For the latest year, the majority (54 per cent) of male victims were killed by an acquaintance (21 of 39 male victims).
Eight victims were killed by a partner or ex-partner – six females, nearly half of all female homicide victims, and two males (five per cent of all male victims).
The Chief Statistician said while most recorded incidents of homicide have one victim and one accused, some incidents had multiple victims and (or) accused.