NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED
3 March 2010
Your Ref:
Our Ref:
0066/2010
Mr Chris Miles
[email address]
Force Disclosure Unit
Police Headquarters
173 Pitt Street
GLASGOW
G2 4JS
Tel: 0141 435 1216
Fax: 0141 435 1218
Dear Mr Miles
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NUMBER 0066/2010
I refer to your request for information dated 27 January 2010, which was received by
Strathclyde Police on same date and clarified by you twice, on the 27 January 2010 and 28
January 2010. Your request has now been considered and on 3 March 2010, a decision was
made to grant some of your request. As such, the information you have requested is detailed
below.
You should be aware that the figures provided below in no way relates to alcohol or the
alcoholic drinks mentioned as being the factor of a crime and the only way to provide such an
answer would be to examine each of the individual crime reports for the questions you have
specified. However, given the substantial number of crime reports involved, this would be
cost exempt in accordance with Sections 12(1) (Excessive cost of compliance) and 16(4)
(Refusal of request) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the Act) as it would
cost in excess of the £600 prescribed by the Scottish Ministers under the Act to carry out this
task.
From 22nd October 2006 to 21st October 2009:
1a. How many crime reports were reported in total?
I can inform you that there were 955,708 offences committed during this period. Please note
this figure is based on the date that the offence was committed and not on the date when the
offence was reported to the Police.
1b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the figure above, the number of offences classed as violent is as follows, 77,920
Common/Simple Assaults, 10,597 Serious Assaults, 4,664 Robberies, 982 Assaults with
Intent to Rob, 979 Attempted Murders, and 160 Murders. In total this amounts to 95,302
offences, which is 10% of the total level of crime.
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2a. How many crimes included the keyword "alcohol" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 69,773 crimes that mention ‘alcohol’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 7.3% of the total level of crime.
2b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘alcohol’ 753 of the crime reports include a
crime/s of violence, which amounts to 1.1% of crimes which include the word ‘alcohol’ and
0.1% of all crime.
3a. How many crimes included the keyword "vodka" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 2,498 crimes that mention ‘vodka’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 0.3% of the total level of crime.
3b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘vodka’ 159 of the crime reports include a
crime/s of violence, which amounts to 6.4% of crimes which include the word ‘vodka’ and
0.02% of all crime.
4a. How many crimes included the keyword "whisky" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 860 crimes that mention ‘whisky’ or ‘whiskey’
in some context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the
crime report. This represents 0.1% of the total level of crime.
4b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘whisky’ or ‘whiskey’ 40 of the crime reports
include a crime/s of violence, which amounts to 4.7% of crimes which include the word
‘whisky’ or ‘whiskey’ and 0.004% of all crime.
5a. How many crimes included the keyword "beer" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 3,709 crimes that mention ‘beer’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 0.4% of the total level of crime.
5b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘beer’ 315 of the crime reports include a crime/s
of violence, which amounts to 8.5% of crimes which include the word ‘beer’ and 0.03% of all
crime.
6a. How many crimes included the keyword "lager" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 6,137 crimes that mention ‘lager’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 0.6% of the total level of crime.
6b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘lager’ 114 of the crime reports include a crime/s
of violence, which amounts to 1.9% of crimes which include the word ‘lager’ and 0.01% of
all crime.
7a. How many crimes included the keyword "cider" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 4,200 crimes that mention ‘cider’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 0.4% of the total level of crime.
7b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘cider’ 76 of the crime reports include a crime/s
of violence, which amounts to 1.8% of crimes which include the word ‘cider’ and 0.008% of
all crime.
8a. How many crimes included the keyword "merrydown" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 144 crimes that mention ‘merrydown’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 0.02% of the total level of crime.
8b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘merrydown’ 3 of the crime reports include a
crime/s of violence, which amounts to 2.1% of crimes which include the word ‘merrydown’
and 0.0003% of all crime.
9a. How many crimes included the keyword "tennents" in some context.
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 1,626 crimes that mention ‘tennents’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 0.2% of the total level of crime.
9b. How many of these were violent offences?
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘tennents’ 11 of the crime reports include a
crime/s of violence, which amounts to 0.7% of crimes which include the word ‘tennents’ and
0.001% of all crime.
10a. How many crimes included the keyword "wine" in some context.
10b. How many of these were violent offences?
I am still awaiting information relating to this part of your request and I will respond as soon
as possible.
In relation to your first request, dated 27 January 2010, prior to clarification, I can advise that
the equivalent figures for Buckfast are as follows;
Of the figure quoted in question 1, there were 5,973 crimes that mention ‘buckfast’ in some
context, either in the crime classification title or in the initial summary text of the crime
report. This represents 0.62% of the total level of crime.
Of the crime reports which include the word ‘buckfast’ 11 of the crime reports include a
crime/s of violence, which amounts to 6.7% of crimes which include the word ‘buckfast’ and
0.04% of all crime.
I hope this information is helpful, however, if you are not satisfied with the way in which
your request has been dealt with, you are entitled in the first instance to request a review of
the decision made by the Force. Should you wish to request such a review, please write to
Mrs Sheena Brennan, Disclosure Manager at the above address within 40 working days of
receiving this letter.
Once informed of the Review Panel’s decision, if you are still not satisfied, then you are
entitled to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner within six months for a decision.
Contact details are; Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, telephone 01334 464610.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in Strathclyde Police.
Should you require any further assistance concerning this matter please contact me directly on
0141 435 1216 quoting the reference number given.
Yours sincerely
Colette McFarlane
Freedom of Information Officer
