Scotland’s “most dangerous” areas have been named as part of a new list put together by security experts, with Glasgow placed first and West Dunbartonshire unsurprisingly placed third.
The report stated that the “most prominent issue” facing those living in West Dunbartonshire is traffic offences, with 3,225 recorded in the area. However, the experts also said that crimes of dishonesty and crimes against society are also major issues affecting West Dunbartonshire.
It begs the old question: Does the pig make the sty or is it the sty that makes the pig since the poverty and deprivation rates for West Dumbartonshire are rock bottom.
Glasgow was described by as having “startling figures across the board”, with overall crime figures rising by more than 5 per cent.
On Tuesday, July 7, ProFM Group shared a roundup of Scotland’s 15 most dangerous destinations using official data from the Scottish Government Data Repository.
The experts expressed this as a rate of the number of crimes per 10,000 residents, which is the official methodology of the Scottish Government.
ProFM Group wrote: “Historically one of the most dangerous areas in Scotland, Glasgow’s reputation across the board often precedes it.
“The largest city in Scotland, the fourth largest in the UK, and a major centre for culture and commerce, Glasgow’s soaring crime rate of 1,431 crimes per 10,000 residents sees it top the charts.”
Glasgow’s rate of serious assault (555 incidents) is more than double the next highest (North Lanarkshire’s 264 incidents), while the city’s soaring rates of both drug possession (4,823 incidents) and drug supply (1,275 incidents) are more than two-and-a-half times the next highest.”
The second-most dangerous area in Scotland according to the experts is Dundee City, where the overall crime rate was found to be 1,337 crimes per 10,000 residents. The coastal city, which is situated on the Firth of Tay estuary, was described by ProFM Group as having “spiralling rates” of crimes of dishonesty and road traffic crimes.
The experts wrote: “Nicknamed the ‘City of Discovery’, Dundee began its life as a seafaring town and quickly became a beacon for trade and merchanting in Scotland. Now a huge metropolis in its own right, the city’s 17 per cent rise compared with last year sees it remain among the most dangerous areas of Scotland, sitting in second with a crime rate of 1,337 crimes per 10,000 residents.
“That double-figure rise means that the major issues which have historically plagued Dundee have only tightened their grip. Spiralling rates of both crimes of dishonesty (6,459 offences) and road traffic crimes (3,892 offences) are the main concerns, alongside a rate of theft from motor vehicles (165 offences) that sees the region rank third behind Edinburgh and Glasgow.”
According to ProFM Group, Scotland’s third-most dangerous region is West Dunbartonshire.
The council area, which is home to many of Glasgow’s commuter towns and villages, was found by the experts to have a crime rate of 1,247 crimes per 10,000 residents.
Official statistics from West Dunbartonshire Council indicate that the population is around 80,000.
Following behind in sixth and seventh place on the experts’ roundup are Aberdeen City and North Lanarkshire, with crime rates of 1,050 and 988 respectively. Completing the top 10 on the list are North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, both with a crime rate of 928, and East Ayrshire with a crime rate of 895.
The full list of Scotland’s 15 “most dangerous” areas according to ProFM Group can be found below. To see the full study, visit the ProFM Group website. The top-of-page picture is of part of the Vale of Leven on the banks of the River Leven.
Scotland’s 15 ‘most dangerous’ areas
- Glasgow City
- Dundee City
- West Dunbartonshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
- City of Edinburgh
- Aberdeen City
- North Lanarkshire
- North Ayrshire
- Renfrewshire
- East Ayrshire
- Inverclyde
- Fife
- Falkirk
- South Lanarkshire
- Argyll and Bute