Homicide by minors has plummeted since the first SNP Government in 2007.1
Violent crime experienced by 16-24 year-olds has also fallen dramatically from 12% in 2008/2009 to 5.8% in 2017/2018.2
Temporary and full school exclusions have plummeted from nearly 40 000 and 87 respectively to less than 12 000 and 1 respectively.3 This is a major achievement by Scotland ‘s schools. Had things gone the other way with more exclusions under the SNP and increasing crime by school-age children, the SNP Government would be blamed so, in these circumstances, must get some credit for the leadership role and for shaping the culture in education.
Why does this matter so much?
The evidence from England where exclusions both temporary and permanent remain high and increasing has been strongly linked by researchers4 and even the BBC5, with many of these children, on the streets instead of in school, being drawn into knife and drug crime including exploitation by County lines gangs.
Sources:
- https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2024/10/homicide-scotland-2023-24/documents/homicide-in-scotland-2023-24-data-tables/homicide-in-scotland-2023-24-data-tables/govscot%3Adocument/Homicide%2Bin%2BScotland%2B2023-24%2BTables.xlsx
- https://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Taking-Stock-of-Violence-in-Scotland_2019.pdf
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-exclusion-statistics/
- https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/strong-link-between-exclusions-and-drugs-gangs
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47470502
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Is there an emerging whiff of a manufactured moral panic around deaths of young people caused by knives in Scotland?
For the avoidance of doubt, the recent deaths of the young people due to knife attacks are tragic, appalling and all that can be done should be done to prevent any more such deaths. Moreover, any scale of youth – or any other source – of violence is to be deplored and all that can be done should be done to reduce it. However, we in Scotland live in the real and imperfect world: we in Scotland don’t live locally in a uniquely or exceptionally bad – or good- country. However, we do experience one in which our opposition politicians and their sympathetic mainstream media typically seek to portray what happens in Scotland without context or perspective.
In the Westminster parliament, a cross-party Youth Violence Commission (YVC) was established in March 2017 for England and Wales following a debate the previous year on serious youth violence held in the House of Commons. MPs Chuka Umunna, Vicky Foxcroft (who became Chair of the Commission) and David Lammy led the debate, highlighting the devastating impact that serious violence has and calling for immediate action to be taken to reduce such violence.
The Youth Violence Commission published its final report in July 2020 (See https://academy.londonviolencereduction.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Youth-Violence-Commission-Final-Report-July-2020.pdf ) In the Foreword to the report, Vicky Foxcroft, Chair of the Youth Violence Commission and (still today) a Labour MP stated:
‘I want to end this foreword to our final report by stressing that youth violence must not be allowed to become a party-political issue. It is vital that policymakers from across the political spectrum continue to work together to ensure that our young people experience the hope and optimism they deserve.’
The BBC News website today (May 25) had this headline on its Scotland page: ‘Youth workers ‘key’ to tackling rise in violent crime – Constance’.
The BBC article amplifies certain remarks: ‘Opposition parties have accused the government of failing to take responsibility for the rise in youth crime. (my emphasis)
‘Scottish Labour’s justice spokesperson Pauline McNeil said the SNP must “acknowledge their mistakes” and “support key services”
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said the justice secretary had “shamefully” refused to take responsibility for cuts to youth workers.’
There is an abundance of readily available evidence on the challenges being faced by young people, communities, third sector and public institutions, and policy makers across the nations and regions of the UK (and more widely) concerning youth violence. and how to reduce it. These matters remain concerning in England and Wales too. What is also readily evidenced is the acknowledgement by experts and stakeholders beyond Scotland of the significant, positive contributions over many years that initiatives developed and rolled-out in Scotland have made here and in the development of better responses to the ‘problem’ elsewhere.
Context, perspective, learning – avoidance of partisan party politicking – avoidance of promoting a moral panic – please!
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‘The evidence from England where exclusions both temporary and permanent remain high and increasing …..’
The wider significance of this has been known for some time. From the final report of the Westminster parliament’s cross-party Youth Violence Commission for England and Wales published in 2020:
(Report p. 10): ‘A remarkably high proportion of young people committing serious acts of violence had been excluded from mainstream education – a process that they invariably told the Commission further damaged their self-esteem and identity, while simultaneously closing off avenues for them to pursue healthy and
prosocial lives. Schools should act as centres of care and inclusion, but to do so, they must be provided with sufficient funding to support struggling pupils and they need inspection frameworks and league tables that strongly discourage pupil off-rolling and exclusion.’ (my emphasis)
(See https://academy.londonviolencereduction.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Youth-Violence-Commission-Final-Report-July-2020.pdf )
Who’s been the responsible governing party or parties for school exclusion protocols in England and Wales since this evidence was published in 2020?
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