Latest news with #ScottishViolenceReductionUnit
Daily Record
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Crime in Ayrshire decreases according to new Scottish Government figures
Figures released by the Scottish Government revealed that crime in Ayrshire fell last year. New figures released by the Scottish Government have revealed that crime in Ayrshire fell last year. Data released as part of the Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-25 report found that crime across Scotland fell marginally last year. North Ayrshire remained the most dangerous area in the county with the highest level of recorded crime and the only one of the three council areas in the region to be higher than the Scottish average. Recorded crime in North Ayrshire fell from 579 per 10,000 population in 2023-24 to 569 per 10,000 population in 2024-25. That remained above the Scottish average (545 per 10,000) and North Ayrshire was the sixth most dangerous place in the country. Neighbouring East Ayrshire saw a slightly larger fall as recorded crime in the region fell below the Scottish average. In 2023-24, 546 crimes were recorded in East Ayrshire for every 10,000 people. Last year that fell to 535 per 10,000 population. South Ayrshire again had the lowest crime rate in the county at 462 per 10,000 population in 2024-25. That fell from 503 in 2023-24. Across Scotland, almost 300,000 crimes were recorded as the crime rate fell marginally across the country as a whole. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'These figures show that Scotland continues to be safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. 'This comes on the back of the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which also showed people feel safer in their communities. 'Violent crime is down significantly in the past 20 years, with serious assaults and homicide levels at record lows. However, we cannot afford to be complacent and I have been consistently clear that any instance of violence is one too many. 'That is why we are taking a wide range of actions to prevent, reduce and tackle violence, with more than £6 million funding invested over the past three years. 'I am concerned these figures also show a rise in reported sexual crimes. Multiple factors will lie behind this and our action to tackle sexual offending includes increasing confidence in the justice system so more victims come forward, improving support for victims and modernising the law on sexual offences. 'I also recognise the significant harm and disruption caused by retail crime, which is why we have made £3 million available in this year's Budget for Police Scotland to work with the retail sector to help tackle this issue. 'This year we will invest £4.2 billion across the justice system including a record £1.64 billion for policing – an increase of £90 million on 2024-25. 'As part of the Scottish Government's broader package to tackle violence, we have increased funding to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit from £1.17 million last year to over £1.2 million this year. 'Projects supporting young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities, under the Cashback for Communities programme, will receive up to £26 million over the next three financial years.'
STV News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Swinney to chair youth violence summit after stabbings and classroom violence
John Swinney is set to chair a summit on youth violence as he attempts to clamp down on knife crime among young people. The cross-party meeting follows the deaths of two teenagers in Scotland this year from separate stabbings. It also comes as teachers report rising levels of classroom violence and misogynistic behaviour among pupils. Thursday's summit will hear from the justice and education secretaries, ministers for children and for victims, along with cross-party MSPs, youth workers and those delivering violence reduction in Scotland. It follows discussions led by Mr Swinney to hear young people's and families' experiences and ideas on possible solutions, and will focus on education and community engagement with young people and possible strategies preventing them from turning to anti-social behaviour or carrying a weapon. Angela Constance, the Justice Secretary, has admitted that 'more needs to be done' to clamp down on violence. Earlier this month, the Scottish Government pledged that funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit will rise by 7% to £1.217 million, which reversed earlier plans to cut its budget. Despite several high-profile recent murders among teenagers, Police Scotland said that serious assaults by those aged 11 to 18 fell by 27% between 2019/20 and 2024/25, from 428 to 313. Ahead of the meeting, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton called for greater investment in youth work. Mr Cole-Hamilton, who was a youth worker before becoming an MSP, accused the SNP of presiding over the 'quiet death' of youth work. He said: 'For the best part of 20 years, I was a youth worker, helping some of the most disengaged young people get their lives back on track. 'That experience taught me that no child is inherently bad. Most of the time, they are just in need of some direction, a need that has only been fuelled by the isolating impact of lockdown. 'That's where youth work comes in: it provides young people with the direction they need and gives them a positive adult role model who is neither a teacher nor a parent. 'It teaches teenagers to come out of their comfort zone, helps them rebuild their sense of self-worth and fosters a whole host of key life skills. 'Since the pandemic, however, the SNP have presided over the quiet death of youth work. Budgets have been squeezed, services have struggled to survive, just when we need them the most. 'While acts of violence require a strong response, punishing predominantly law-abiding young people cannot be our broader solution. We need youth work to pre-empt and prevent those acts of violence, to properly engage young people in society and lay the foundations for them to succeed in life.' The Scottish Government has been approached for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
John Swinney's youth violence summit must deliver real change not just talk
John Swinney deserves credit when it comes to engaging with the public on the big issues facing the country. Not every minister in his government is so willing when it comes to listening to voices who may not necessarily agree with their party line. The SNP leader will host a summit on reducing youth violence across Scotland in a bid to prevent knife crime. But mum Vicky Donald surely speaks for many when she voiced fears that nothing will be done. She has demanded urgent action and 'real change'. The message is clear – John Swinney's latest summit can't be just another talking shop. The Scottish Government has also pledged that funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit will rise by seven per cent, after fears it faced a budget cut. It comes in the wake of the tragic deaths of teenagers Amen Teklay, 15, and Kayden Moy, 16, who both died this year after being stabbed. Another youth was also seriously injured but survived following an altercation in Edinburgh. The Record has repeatedly reported that violence is a real problem in some secondary schools, with teachers seemingly powerless to punish the worst perpetrators. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Real action has to be taken so our youngsters can feel safe, whether they are in the classroom or out socialising. The vast majority of young Scots are well-mannered and a credit to their families. But a violent minority cannot be left to cause havoc and risk more lives being lost. Be a donor hero Giving blood is one of the easiest ways you can save someone else's life. It's a quick and painless process that the vast majority of adults could easily undertake a few times a year. Appointments can now be made online, making donating even easier. There are many Scots who give blood regularly but the service can't rely on a few people doing all the work. At least 10,000 new volunteers are needed to step up and help keep bloodstocks at their required levels. More than half of regular donors are now aged 45 and over. Put simply, younger Scots need to be encouraged to step up and help save lives. You never know when you or a loved one could require a blood transfusion. It's never too late to become a blood donor for the first time.
STV News
08-06-2025
- Politics
- STV News
John Swinney to host summit on reducing youth violence
First Minister John Swinney will host a summit on reducing youth violence across Scotland in a bid to prevent knife crime. The Scottish Government pledged that funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit will rise by 7% to £1.217m. The money comes in the wake of the deaths of teenagers Amen Teklay, 15, and Kayden Moy, 16, who both died this year after allegedly being stabbed. Three teenage boys, aged 14, 15, and 16 years old have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Amen Teklay, an Eritrean refugee, in Glasgow on March 5. PA Media People attend a vigil for Eritrean refugee Amen Teklay, 15, who died from fatal injuries in March (Mike Boyd/PA Wire). In recent weeks, three teenage boys – a pair aged 17, and a 14-year-old – have appeared in court charged with the murder of Kayden Moy who was attacked on Irvine Beach, North Ayrshire, on May 17 and died in hospital. Later this month, a march against knife crime, Parents Against Knives, will take place in Glasgow organised by the family of Kory McCrimmon, 16, who died after he was stabbed in a park in Glasgow's east end on May 21 2024. Police Scotland said that the total number of serious assaults by 11 to 18-year-olds fell 27% between 2019/20 and 2024/25 from 428 to 313, according to the Scottish Government. An additional £82,000 funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit was announced this week, and Medics Against Violence also received increased funding of up to £345,000 while a further £156,000 has been awarded to the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme. The summit on Thursday will include the Justice and Education secretaries, Ministers for Children and for Victims and Community Safety, cross-party MSPs, youth workers and community programmes. It follows discussions led by Mr Swinney to hear young people and families' experiences and ideas on possible solutions, and will focus on education and community engagement with young people and possible strategies preventing them from turning to anti-social behaviour or carrying a weapon. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'Scotland remains a safe place to live. 'But more needs to be done to change the attitudes and behaviours of some who are at risk of violence, or young people considering carrying a weapon. 'There is no place for violence in Scotland and anyone who commits a crime will face the consequences. 'Our work remains focused on ensuring our prevention and punishment measures respond to the changing behaviours of young people. This includes ensuring good school and community engagement with young people, appropriate police powers and tackling the root causes of violence. 'At this meeting we want to hear the views of the youth work and third sector representatives on what more, or different, can be done, within the current financial climate, to help address this issue. 'The role of youth work and grassroots community intervention is key. 'We all must work together to help young people feel safe and realise that carrying a knife is never the answer.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
08-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's knife crime targeted at new summit hosted by FM
The money comes in the wake of the deaths of teenagers Amen Teklay, 15, and Kayden Moy, 16, who both died this year after allegedly being stabbed. Three teenage boys, aged 14, 15, and 16 years old have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Amen Teklay, an Eritrean refugee, in Glasgow on March 5. In recent weeks, three teenage boys – a pair aged 17, and a 14-year-old – have appeared in court charged with the murder of Kayden Moy who was attacked on Irvine Beach, North Ayrshire, on May 17 and died in hospital. READ MORE: Dozens of children caught with knives across Scotland Swinney criticised over surge in youth violence in Scotland Later this month, a march against knife crime, Parents Against Knives, will take place in Glasgow organised by the family of Kory McCrimmon, 16, who died after he was stabbed in a park in Glasgow's east end on May 21 2024. Police Scotland said that the total number of serious assaults by 11 to 18-year-olds fell 27% between 2019/20 and 2024/25 from 428 to 313, according to the Scottish Government. An additional £82,000 funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit was announced this week, and Medics Against Violence also received increased funding of up to £345,000 while a further £156,000 has been awarded to the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme. The summit on Thursday will include the Justice and Education secretaries, Ministers for Children and for Victims and Community Safety, cross-party MSPs, youth workers and community programmes. It follows discussions led by Mr Swinney to hear young people and families' experiences and ideas on possible solutions, and will focus on education and community engagement with young people and possible strategies preventing them from turning to anti-social behaviour or carrying a weapon. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'Scotland remains a safe place to live. 'But more needs to be done to change the attitudes and behaviours of some who are at risk of violence, or young people considering carrying a weapon. 'There is no place for violence in Scotland and anyone who commits a crime will face the consequences. 'Our work remains focused on ensuring our prevention and punishment measures respond to the changing behaviours of young people. This includes ensuring good school and community engagement with young people, appropriate police powers and tackling the root causes of violence. 'At this meeting we want to hear the views of the youth work and third sector representatives on what more, or different, can be done, within the current financial climate, to help address this issue. 'The role of youth work and grassroots community intervention is key. 'We all must work together to help young people feel safe and realise that carrying a knife is never the answer.'
