SNP ACTION ON CRIME MAKING THE DIFFERENCE IN STRATHCLYDE

SNP ACTION ON CRIME MAKING THE DIFFERENCE IN STRATHCLYDE

KNIFE CARRYING DROPS BY 16%
Stewart Maxwell MSP has welcomed today's publication of the latest crime figures from Strathclyde Police, which show a significant decrease in the levels of violent crime. The figures for 2009/10 show:

• a 26.7% drop in murders
• a decrease of 11.6% in serious assaults has decreased 11.6%
• a reduction of 25.6% for carrying an offensive weapon
• a drop of 15.9% for carrying a bladed/pointed instrument
• a 10% drop in recorded crime overall.

SNP MSP Mr Maxwell, a member of Holyrood's Justice Committee, said:
"This very encouraging news confirms that the SNP government's action to prevent crime and put more police officers on our streets are having a real effect. Crime is down across the board in Strathclyde, and real progress is being made against violent crime in particular.

"I am particularly pleased to see that there has been a significant drop in the incidences of people carrying a knife. The Scottish Government has made it a priority to tackle the blade culture that has been prevalent in some part of Strathclyde, and today's figures show that the combined impact of effective, visible policing, preventive work with young people at risk of carrying a knife, and tough action against those who are caught with blades is driving down the numbers of knives on our streets.

"It also shows why Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House has spoken out against Labour's ill-considered knife crime policies, which are more about grabbing headlines than any real attempt to address this complex problem.

"I also very strongly welcome Chief Constable House's comments about the need to stop peddling cheap booze to our young people. The SNP's minimum pricing for alcohol proposals are designed to target exactly the alcohol sold at pocket money prices that is the trigger for so much of the violence on our streets.

"There is still much done be done in the battle against violent crime, but today's figures from Strathclyde show that the action being taken by the SNP government, working hand in hand with our police forces, is beginning to make a real difference for Scotland's communities."