Scotland Most Violent

[Hughie]

Did a Google search for Katrina Tweedie. She apparently writes a lot for the Daily Record - so this isn't some obscure writer.
Sad to see such articles:

September 19, 2005

Scotland tops list of world's most violent countries
By Katrina Tweedie

A UNITED Nations report has labelled Scotland the most violent country in
the developed world, with people three times more likely to be assaulted
than in America.
England and Wales recorded the second highest number of violent assaults
while Northern Ireland recorded the fewest.

The study, based on telephone interviews with victims of crime in 21
countries, found that more than 2,000 Scots were attacked every week, almost
ten times the official police figures. They include non-sexual crimes of
violence and serious assaults.

Violent crime has doubled in Scotland over the past 20 years and levels, per
head of population, are now comparable with cities such as Rio de Janeiro,
Johannesburg and Tbilisi.

The attacks have been fuelled by a "booze and blades" culture in the west of
Scotland which has claimed more than 160 lives over the past five years.
Since January there have been 13 murders, 145 attempted murders and 1,100
serious assaults involving knives in the west of Scotland. The problem is
made worse by sectarian violence, with hospitals reporting higher admissions
following Old Firm matches.

David Ritchie, an accident and emergency consultant at Glasgow's Victoria
Infirmary, said that the figures were a national disgrace. "I am embarrassed
as a Scot that we are seeing this level of violence. Politicians must do
something about this problem. This is a serious public health issue.
Violence is a cancer in this part of the world," he said.

Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, head of the Strathclyde
Police's violence reduction unit, said the problem was chronic and
restricting access to drink and limiting the sale of knives would at least
reduce the problem.

The study, by the UN's crime research institute, found that 3 per cent of
Scots had been victims of assault compared with 1.2 per cent in America and
just 0.1 per cent in Japan, 0.2 per cent in Italy and 0.8 per cent in
Austria. In England and Wales the figure was 2.8 per cent.

Scotland was eighth for total crime, 13th for property crime, 12th for
robbery and 14th for sexual assault. New Zealand had the most property
crimes and sexual assaults, while Poland had the most robberies.

Chief Constable Peter Wilson, president of the Association of Chief Police
Officers in Scotland, questioned the figures. "It must be near impossible to
compare assault figures from one country to the next based on phone calls,"
he said.

"We have been doing extensive research into violent crime in Scotland for
some years now and this has shown that in the vast majority of cases,
victims of violent crime are known to each other. We do accept, however,
that, despite your chances of being a victim of assault being low in
Scotland, a problem does exist."

Hughie in Oz

[Catherine Belle]

The study, based on telephone interviews with victims of crime in 21
countries, found that more than 2,000 Scots were attacked every week, almost
ten times the official police figures. They include non-sexual crimes of
violence and serious assaults.

The attacks have been fuelled by a "booze and blades" culture in the west of
Scotland which has claimed more than 160 lives over the past five years.
Chief Constable Peter Wilson, president of the Association of Chief Police
Officers in Scotland, questioned the figures. "It must be near impossible to
compare assault figures from one country to the next based on phone calls,"
he said.
Hughie in Oz

Hi Hughie
I think the United Nations have one helluva nerve to label Scotland "the most violent country in the developed world" based on phone calls!
And how come only the "west" of Scotland is being singled out? If political polls have taught us anything it's that anyone can achieve their targeted results based on the questions asked, the way they're phrased, and the allowable choice of answers.
Catherine

[gnyaff]

Hi Catherine,

I couldn't agree with you more, the United Nations has no right to call Scotland the most violent. Neither has anyone else for that matter. Anyone who says that a peace loving nation like Scotland is violent, is jist askin fur a bunch o' fives oan the side o' the mooth.

Wee Boney