Crime and Punishment in Scotland, 1980-1999 (From Crime and Punishment in Western Countries, 1980-1999, P 83-121, 2005, Michael Tonry and David P. Farrington eds. - See NCJ-241530)

• NCJ Number: 241533
• Author(s): David J. Smith
• Date Published: 2005
• Length: 39 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Great Britain Home Office; Scottish Executive Social Research
• Sale Source: University of Chicago Press
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Statistics; Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter summarizes information on trends in crime and punishment in Scotland.

Abstract

The substantial rises in crime in Scotland during the golden era between 1950 and 1973 tended to level off after 1980, although this did not apply to the most serious crimes of rape and homicide. There was no sustained or substantial rise in the production or convictions for homicide, rape, robbery, serious assault, burglary, or motor vehicle theft. The chance that an offender would be caught and punished tended to decline over the period 1981-99, with only minor and short-term exceptions. In broad terms, rising crime leveled off in Scotland even though the system was becoming less effective at catching and punishing offenders. The Scottish case suggests that the effectiveness of criminal justice in catching and punishing offenders is not a major factor influencing changes in the level of crime. (Published Abstract)