Data Analysis of Knife Crime Incidents with Police Scotland

Police Scotland collaborated with the University of Edinburgh's Bayes Centre on an innovative MSc project that used data science to better understand knife crime incidents across Scotland.

The Challenge

Studies have demonstrated that not all instances of stabbings are reported to the police, and that ambulance data can provide a valuable additional source of information. Police Scotland wanted to explore the extent of under-reporting and identify data gaps in their crime records.

The Project

The project focused on cross-referencing police crime and incident data relating to stabbings with Scottish Ambulance Service data related to knife wounds. These datasets, matched by time, date, and description, provided an opportunity to explore under-reporting and work across agencies to examine this common problem.

Why Police Scotland Offered the Internship

Police Scotland offered the internship for several key reasons:

• Access to expertise they didn't have internally, at very low cost
• Develop a proof of concept that could spark interest in advanced analytics work
• Create an engaging case study demonstrating their data science capabilities

Building Partnerships

The Bayes Centre has developed a strong collaborative relationship with Police Scotland, with academics and students from disciplines including mathematics, computer science, and social sciences contributing expertise. This partnership demonstrates how an interdisciplinary approach to data can help address policing challenges and drive innovation while bringing benefits to public safety.