Domestic Abuse Reports In Scotland Rise By 7% In A Year

The number of reported incidents of domestic abuse in Scotland has increased by 7% in a year, government figures have shown.

The chief statistician said police recorded 59,847 cases in 2011-2012, rising from 55,698 the previous year.
But there was a 4% drop in the number of domestic abuse incidents being recorded as a crime or offence.
The Scottish government said the figures showed too many women and men were still being subjected to abuse.

According to the figures, domestic abuse was most likely to happen in the home, where 87% of incidents took place in 2011-12. The victim was most commonly a woman, with 81% of cases having a female victim and male perpetrator. And women were at most risk between the ages of 22 and 25, while men were most likely to be victims between 31 and 35 years old.

The number of cases with a male victim and female perpetrator stood at 17% in 2011-12, which is an annual increase of one percentage point. There has been an 8% rise in these cases since 2002-03. Assault, which accounted for 44% of all incidents, was the most commonly recorded crime or offence, with threatening or abusive behaviour second most common, at 17%.

You can read more on this story here.

Support For Teens In Care A 'National Scandal'

Children's Minister, Edward Timpson has said that too many teenagers in England leave care without enough support, ending up in a "trap of poverty and joblessness".

Mr Timpson said it was a "national scandal" and urged councils to do more to make sure they have a "solid start". He wants such teenagers to be given higher allowances towards setting up home and more foster placements. The Local Government Association says councils should not face new financial expectations at a time of drastic cuts.

Mr Timpson's comments come as figures suggest many 16-year-olds leaving care are not in education, work or training by age 19. According to the figures cited by Mr Timpson, more than a third (35%) of children in care leave by the age 16 and, of those, 45% will not be in education, employment or training - so-called Neets - three years later.

Mr Timpson said the "cliff-edge" of leaving care was often too sudden and poorly planned, with many teenagers finding the move "traumatic".

You can read more on this story on the BBC News website here.

Universal Credit: Benefits Claimants Could Find Themselves Trapped in Poverty

Benefit claimants could find themselves "trapped in poverty" when a new single welfare payment is introduced next year, it is being claimed.

While the Universal Credit was sound "in principle", the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said its implementation could leave some people worse off. It warned any financial gains people might make in part-time jobs may be wiped out if they found full-time work.

In the biggest shake-up of the welfare system in generations, the single consolidated payment will replace a host of existing working age benefits for new claimants from October 2013.

Ministers say the Universal Credit - to replace income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits and Housing Benefit - will increase work incentives and reduce poverty among those on low incomes by ensuring people keep more of their income in employment and benefits are withdrawn more gradually.

But analysis of the new system for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, by the University of Portsmouth and the Centre for Social and Economic Inclusion, has raised serious concerns about its administration and potential outcomes.

You can read more on this story on the BBC News website here.

International crack down on human trafficking | Home Office

Immigration Minister Mark Harper has joined with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to call on international partners to redouble efforts against human trafficking. You can read what he had to say and more facts about human trafficking here:
International crack down on human trafficking | Home Office

Latest Statstics From The Home Office On Arrests, outcomes and stop and searches Great Britain 2011/12 Released

Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent legislation: Arrests, outcomes and stop and searches Great Britain 2011/12 | Home Office

On TV tonight...

On BBC 1 tonight, (29th October 2012) at 8. 30 PM Panorama reveals new evidence of poor training and and false record-keeping at the Winterbourne View hospital outside Bristol.

Last year BBC Panorama exposed the violent abuse of people with learning disabilities at Winterbourne.  A number of former patients have faced further assaults or unnecessary restraints in other care establishments.

Following the closure of Winterbourne View, and as 11 of its former staff are sentenced in court, Panorama asks: are the most vulnerable people in society any better protected? http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01nqn4d/

More Support On Pinterest

I've set up a page on Pinterest where I'm putting links to useful books on study skills, dissertations, and referencing, as well as videos and anything else useful I find. You can check it out under the tab "Information Literacy" on this blog at: http://pinterest.com/sfensome/