Number of homicides in Scotland falls to near 50-year record low, figures show

Homicide deaths in Scotland reached the lowest level for almost half a century last year, new figures have revealed.

A total of 45 people became homicide victims in 2024-25, 12 fewer that in the previous year and the lowest number since comparable records began back in 1976.

The Scottish Government figures also showed the number of people killed by homicide was down by almost a quarter (24%) over a 10-year period, falling from 59 in 2015-16.

Across the last two decades the total number of homicides has reduced by 53%, down from 96 victims in 2005-06.

As part of this, the number of young people aged between 16 and 24 being killed has dropped from a total of 110 between 2005-06 and 2009-10, to 31 in the most recent five-year period covering 2019-20 to 2024-25.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance described the fall in homicides as being a “positive and welcome trend”.

Ms Constance said: “My thoughts are with every family who have lost a loved one, however the fact that the number of homicides has fallen significantly over the last decade, now to a record low in 2024-25, is clearly a positive and welcome trend.”

She added that while the number of homicides involving young people had “reduced significantly over recent years”, every such death is “a tragedy that demands continued and determined action”.

All 45 homicides recorded last year were solved, with the figures showing 30 men and 15 women died in such incidents.

For men, almost two-thirds (63%) of victims – 19 people – were killed by an acquaintance.

Almost half (47%) of female victims died at the hands of a partner or ex-partner, with this the case for seven of the 15 women killed in 2024-25.

The most common method of killing was with a sharp instrument, such as a knife, broken bottle, sword, sharpened screwdriver or any other pointed or edged weapon.

These were used in 62% of homicide cases in 2024-25, resulting in 28 deaths.

Ms Constance said she was “grateful to Police Scotland for their work that saw 100% of cases solved last year – a fact which, along with the decline in homicides, is further evidence that Scotland remains a safe place to live and justice is being served”.

She added: “The Scottish Government has invested more than £6 million since 2023 to support implementation of the violence prevention framework for Scotland.

“This funding provides a range of activities to prevent violence and reduce its harm, much of which is supporting young people away from violence.

“To help prevent the future abuse and death of women and girls, we now have the statutory framework in place to create what will be Scotland’s first national multi-agency domestic homicide and suicide review model, with reviews expected to start from next spring.”