Posted on 09/20/2005 7:55:35 AM PDT by Valin
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 Glasgows 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 Polices 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 UNs 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.
Glasgow Kiss?
So, South Africa, The Sudan, Zimbabwe, Haiti, etc. are less dangerous than Scotland? I don't think so.
My sister-in-law attended a professional conference in New Orleans a few years back. She, and others in her group, were accompanied by security people any time they went out.
Actually, Scotland had violence in the past...lots of killings in the Lowlands about 400 years ago, but that was before they were using English money.
Queen Elizabeth is descended from Robert I, who got his start by murdering his rival John Comyn in Dumfries on Feb. 10, 1306.
Oh that will work so well, kind of like the gun ban in Wash DC made it the least violent city in the USA (or is that the second most violent)
John Carnochan = total idiot (with JBT mindset)
These statistics are so skewed it's ridiculous.
The most violent countries in the world do not even keep statistics...and there's no way of knowing who did what. Think Liberia, Korea, Cuba, Sudan, any of the other Moslem countries...
The UN report on crime is nothing more than putting together work for overpaid under achievers working at the UN.
In other words...it means nothing.
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1959952005
I don't believe the report addresses state sponsored violence against its own people, but private enterprise (for lack of a better term) violence.
First line of the article...
A UNITED Nations report has labelled Scotland the most violent country in the developed world
So let me add that in addition to getting statistics wrong the report does not accurately report violence. It should have labeled it as non state - sponsored violence statistics or some such label.
That said, in many countries what we would consider to be violence in society is perfectly acceptable behavior. Think Moslem countries.
What took so long?
Don't you just love this? Soon they'll be reduced to tearing off chunks of steak with their teeth and spreading their butter with Popsicle sticks. Stunningly, outlawing hand guns didn't make violence disappear. In fact, just the opposite seems to be happening. Next they will outlaw carrying heavy objects and sell only near bear at all the pubs. Truly the liberal mind at work.
"Ban assault scotch now!"
Does this study include Israel and Iraq or does political crime not matter?
I scanned, I re-scanned. Could not believe there was no Groundskeeper Willie.
What? Are they suggesting that my good Western Scottish friends are going to have to forego their (multiple) wee deoch an doris?
Never! Does tradition mean nothing?
Hey... someone else saw that movie...
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