A1 Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey
The Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey (SCVS) is the
national survey that gathers information about public perceptions
and experiences as victims of crime. Since 1993 the surveys have
included a short self-completion component. In 2006 the method of
self-completion changed from Paper and Pen to Computer Assisted
Self Interviewing (CASI). Introduction of this method in other
surveys has been associated with more accurate recording of drug
use, however, as a result it is not possible to make any meaningful
comparisons between the prevalence figures for drug use in 2006 and
findings from previous surveys.
The results separating drug use by age should be interpreted
with caution, due to possible bias within the sample and the lower
number than usual of achieved interviews with individuals aged
between 20 and 24 years old. |
Key Points 2006
Overview
- Over a third (37%) of respondents reported having taken illicit
drugs at least once during their lives. Thirteen percent reported
using illicit drugs in the last year (Tables A1.1 and A1.2).
- More male respondents reported ever having used drugs (43%)
than female respondents (31%). (Table A1.1).
- More than a third of respondents in each of the age groups
under 40 years old had ever used drugs: over half of those
respondents aged 20 to 24, 25 to 29 and 30 to 34 years old (58%,
57% and 55% respectively); 46% of those aged 16 to 19 years old and
39% of 35 to 39 year olds. A fifth of 40 to 59 year olds had used
drugs (Table A1.1).
- A third of male respondents in each age group under 29 years
old had used drugs in the last year. This fell to 21% of 30 to 34
year olds, 17% of 35 to 39 year olds and 4% of 40 to 59 year olds.
The number of females reporting using drugs in the last year also
declined with age (36% of 16 to 19 year olds, 24% of 20 to 24 year
olds, 12% of 25 to 29 year olds and 5% of 30 to 34 year olds)
(Table A1.2).
Drugs recorded
- Cannabis was the drug most frequently reported as used in the
year prior to the survey and used ever (11% and 33% respectively).
Cocaine was reported to have been used in the last year by 4% of
respondents and ever used by 9%. Ecstasy was used in the last year
by 3% and ever used by 10% of respondents. Amphetamines and poppers
had each been used in the last year by 2% of respondents and ever
used by 14% and 10% of respondents respectively (Tables A1.1 and
A1.2).
- The highest use of cannabis ‘ever’ was reported
amongst 20 to 24 year age olds (54%) and 25 to 29 year olds (53%).
The same was observed for cocaine (17% of 20 to 24 year olds and
18% of 25 to 29 year olds). Ecstasy use ever was reported most
often among 25 to 29 year olds (25%) and 30 to 34 year olds (22%)
(Table A1.1).
- Cannabis was the drug reported as having been most frequently
offered in the last year. Twenty percent of males and 12% of
females reported having been offered cannabis in the last year
(Table A1.3).
Background Information
The 2006 Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey (SCVS) was the
eighth survey of its kind to be carried out in Scotland since the
early 1980s. The first two sweeps in 1982 and 1988 were conducted
as part of the British Crime Survey and only covered Central and
Southern Scotland. A separate Scottish Crime Survey was introduced
in 1993 that covered the whole of mainland Scotland, including the
larger islands. This was repeated in 1996, 2000 and 2003. In 2004
the survey became known as the Scottish Crime and Victimisation
Survey. The latest sweep was carried out in 2006 and published in
September 2007. The surveys were primarily designed to ask people
about their experiences and perceptions of individual and household
crime, however, each survey also included a self-completion
component that asked adults about their use of drugs. This section
focuses on the findings of the 2006 survey.
The 2006 survey had an achieved sample of 4,988 respondents, an
overall response of 70%. The self completion module was completed
by 4,701 respondents between the ages of 16 to 59 years old, 66% of
the issued sample and 94% of all the 4,988
interviewed1.
As in previous sweeps, in 2006 the questions covered the
following drugs: amphetamines; cannabis; cocaine; crack; ecstasy;
heroin; methadone/physeptone; LSD; magic mushrooms; temazepam;
valium; glues, gas or aerosols; anabolic steroids and poppers,
ketamine was also included. The main questions covered:
- whether they had ever taken the drug
- whether they had been offered the drug in the last year
- whether they had taken the drug in the last year
- whether they had been offered the drug in the last month
- whether they had taken the drug in the last month.
There are, of course, limitations to self-report data on drug
use that may result in an underestimation of drug use prevalence.
It is possible that problematic drug users are less likely to have
taken part in the SCVS. There may also be a stigma attached to
taking some drugs, especially ‘hard’ drugs such as
heroin and crack, which again might have resulted in some
under-reporting.
The 2006 SCVS was carried out by BMRB Social Research, with
interviews being conducted between June and December 2006.
Changes to Survey Methods
The 2006 survey was carried out using Computer Assisted Self
Interviewing (CASI). Previously the self-completed sections of the
survey had been collected using paper and pen. The CASI method of
obtaining information on drug use has been found to result in more
accurate disclosure and estimation of drug use. For this reason it
is not possible to make valid comparisons between findings in 2006
and previous survey sweeps (for more detail see the full survey
report). This is in keeping with the British Crime Survey’s
experience of switching to CASI in the self completion section in
the early 1990s. The use of CASI is likely to have reduced the
effect of under-reporting caused by stigma attached to taking
drugs. In terms of checking the ‘honesty’ of responses,
the SCVS asks about a fake drug. Any respondents who report using
the fake drug are excluded from analysis.
References
1 Brown, M., Bolling, K.; Drugs Misuse in Scotland: Findings
from the 2006 Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey. Scottish
Government Social Research 2007
Further information
Information on the Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey 2006
is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/criminal/CJResearch/scvs06/intro
The full report of Drug Misuse in Scotland: Findings from the
2006 Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/26163243/0
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