Victims' evidence in A&E 'could help cut crime'

VICTIMS of violence should be encouraged to give details of the attack to hospital staff while being treated to help police identify crime hotspots, according to an MSP.

Stewart Maxwell, SNP MSP for West Scotland, has written to justice secretary Kenny MacAskill asking him to introduce a system based on a study in Cardiff, which reduced incidents of violent crime by 42 per cent.

The four-year study, led by Professor Jonathan Shepherd of Cardiff University, examined the impact of police using information gathered from patients at hospital A&Es on where and when violent crimes take place, as well as the weapons used.

Maxwell said: "The introduction of a system of information sharing between hospitals and police in Wales resulted in a remarkable reduction in violent incidents of 42 per cent.

"I am more convinced than ever that the introduction of a similar scheme in Scottish hospitals would enable police to better target their resources and help significantly reduce violent crime across Scotland.

"I have campaigned for a reporting system of violent assaults in Scottish A&Es since 2006, when I undertook a study which found that almost 80 per cent of knife-related injuries were going unreported to police.

"The World Health Organisation has stated that it hopes to see this model introduced across the world.

"I know that the Scottish Government is keen to implement a similar system and has been working alongside the national Violence Reduction Unit to test and develop a practical system for recording and sharing the information."