Scotland as a centre of violent crime still survives in the minds of writers and comedians, some Scottish ones too, and in the minds of UK politicians.
Things have changed in the last ten or more years of SNP-rule. All forms of violent crime are now less common in Scotland than in England. A Guardian review of University campus safety report in 2019 found that all Scottish university campuses, including Glasgow, were safer from crime than even the most safe of the English ones.
From BBC UK yesterday:
Knife crime in England and Wales increased last year to a new record high, figures released by the Office for National Statistics have shown. The ONS said police recorded 45,627 offences in the year to December 2019. That is 7% more than in 2018, and the highest since knife crime statistics were first collected in 2010-11. The figures – which do not include Greater Manchester Police because of IT issues – showed a 13% rise in the West Midlands.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52395986
There were 1 909 knife-related crimes in Scotland in 2018/2019.
All things being equal you would expect the level of knife crime in England & Wales to be 12 times higher or 22 908 but it is 45 627, almost exactly twice as high.
If they remake No Mean City, it will need a new location – Nottingham, Manchester…..?
Knife crime, racism, bigotry, county lines drug gangs, measles epidemics, norovirus in hospitals, listeria in hospital food, Tory voters – all a threat coming from the south into Scotland. This leading academic [my mum said I am] calls for a hard border at Berwick.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
“ … including Glasgow …” ur yoo castin aspersions? Us Glasgow alumni wull go pure mental if yese ur. Ah’m tellingly yese!
Glasgow has suffered for decades because of the stereotype of the city and its people that novel portrayed. Sadly, the Scottish media played a huge part in propagating and perpetuating it. And, unfortunately, many Glaswegians took an inverted pride in it. Much as I admire him, Billy Connolly’s career was built to a fair extent on giving nonGlasgow audience’s preconceptions of the city. His understanding of and sincere love of the city and for its people is far more nuanced.
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Ooops! Don’t poke me with your sharp verbals please!
I’m a fan of the big city now but have to admit was a bit feart to come from Grangemouth to the Art School in 1969, year of highest stabbings.
And was once threatened with a bayonet-holder in 1970. He fell over pissed and nearly stabbed himself.
Time to forget and forgive after 36 years in the Wild West (Ayrshire)?
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Undoubtedly, the 60s were a period when gang violence in Glasgow was very high, with all the notorious ‘teams’ like The Tongs, The Maryhill Fleet, etc attracting quite large numbers of young people, partly because of allegedly condemnatory media actually glamourising. However, starting with Frankie Vaughn’s Easterhouse initiative and the Special Unit in Barlinnie a number of constructive interventions began to be developed, eventually leading to the Violence Reduction Unit and the adoption of a ‘public health paradigm’ to violence in communities and in homes.
Changes to eduction, with the almost overnight change to comprehensive schools and the development of the Guidance system have also had a significant impact – not that you would know from the Scottish media, who only write favourably about the ‘TOP’ schools which 5% of the population (mainly in Edinburgh) attend and about lurid stories of indiscipline and classroom violence which the teacher unions always trot out if any attempt at making teachers accountable is raised.
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Covid-19 might play a part in reducing England’s Knife crime stats.
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Ever the sunny one!
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