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Publications and Outputs

Data Report on Police Charges Reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service under the Coronavirus Regulations: March 2020 to June 2021

25.08.2021
Professor Susan McVie

Professor Susan McVie has authored a data report on the number of charges reported by Police Scotland under the Coronavirus Regulations between March 2020 and June 2021 to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).  The report examines the number of charges reported to COPFS, the prosecutorial decisions that were taken in these cases and the outcomes of disposals.  The data provide assurance that a very small proportion of all pandemic related policing activity resulted in a report to the COPFS and that decisions made in respect of these charges were broadly in line with usual prosecutorial practice.

Third Data Report on Police Use of Fixed Penalty Notices under the Coronavirus Regulations in Scotland: March to December 2020

25.08.2021
Prof Susan McVie and Dr Ben Matthews

Professor Susan McVie and Dr Ben Matthews have authored a third data report scrutinising the police use of Fixed Penalty Noticed (FPNs) under the temporary powers introduced by the Coronavirus Regulations to help stop the spread of the virus. This report examines all FPNs issued between March and December 2020.  It represents the most detailed analysis for any UK police force of how many FPNs were issued, who received them, and where and when FPNs were issued.  Importantly, it also shows how rates and patterns of enforcement changed over time.  

The report was published to coincide with the Scottish Police Authority Meeting on 25th August 2021 and represents one of a number of papers presented by John Scott QC, Chair of the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) set up to provide scrutiny around Police Scotland’s use of the temporary powers.

Worksheets: Crime and Inequality in Scotland

23.03.2021
Susan McVie and Isabella Melking

Graphic of  two young people looking at a police car from behind a wall.

The content of these worksheets is based on a data comic that was developed by the Director of the Understanding Inequalities (UI) project, Professor Susan McVie, based at the University of Edinburgh. The worksheets were adapted from the data comic by the UI project Communications and Engagement Officer, Isabella Melking, also based at the University of Edinburgh.

These worksheets have been developed in partnership with the Modern Studies Association and are intended for teachers to use with pupils in class or at home.

Case Study: Working with The Improvement Service to measure inequality across Local Authority areas in Scotland

05.05.2020
Meng Le Zhang and Gwilym Pryce

In 2018, Dr Meng Le Zhang and Professor Gwilym Pryce from the Understanding Inequalities project worked with the Improvement Service to develop a tool to analyse inequalities across all Local Authority areas in Scotland.

The Improvement Service

Meng Le and Gwilym developed a series of measures that calculates an inequality score at local authority level for a particular dimension, for example, air pollution, exposure to crime or housing quality, which can be then followed over time.

The Improvement Service used this index as a key component of their Community Planning Outcomes Profile (CPOP) toolkit which aims to help Community Planning Partnerships (CPP) understand the issues in their area, in order to identify where they might prioritise intervention measures to improve the outcomes for people living in those areas.

Second data report on police use of Fixed Penalty Notices under the Covid-19 regulations in Scotland

24.02.2021
Susan McVie

Professor Susan McVie has authored a second data report scrutinising the police use of Fixed Penalty Noticed (FPNs) under the temporary powers introduced by the Coronavirus Regulations to help stop the spread of the virus. It is the only study in the UK to look at the characteristics of the individuals who received police fines rather than just the numbers of FPNs issued.

The report is one of a number of papers presented today (24th February 2021) to the Scottish Police Authority by John Scott QC, Chair of the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) set up to provide scrutiny around Police Scotland’s use of the temporary powers.

Journal article: Different degrees of career success: social origin and graduates’ education and labour market trajectories

21.09.2020
Bożena Wielgoszewska, Cristina Iannelli and Adriana Duta

Can education can act as an equaliser of life chances and a vehicle for social mobility? A growing body of research shows that a university degree is not the great leveller and that, even among graduates, there are great social inequalities in their labour market outcomes.

This study contributes to the existing literature by examining the education and labour market trajectories of degree holders across their life course and how these trajectories vary by social class of origin. We used data from the 1970 British Cohort Study, the most recent birth cohort with detailed employment and education histories up to the age of 42.

Journal article: Mothers’ employment and child behaviour: new evidence for Scotland

08.01.2021
Marita Jacob and Michael Kühhirt

What is the effect of maternal employment on child behaviour? Given increasing maternal labour-market participation in many European countries, there is an ongoing scientific and public debate on the potential consequences for children’s development.

The present study combines statistical techniques that can account for time-varying confounders with cumulative measurement of maternal employment to investigate its link with children’s behavioural problems around age eight. In addition, our study explores whether the effect of maternal employment history differs by mothers’ education.

Journal article: Maternal employment and the well-being of children living with a lone mother in Scotland

18.12.2020
Francesca Fiori

Is maternal employment beneficial to the child socio-emotional wellbeing? This study examines whether, under which circumstances, and through which mechanisms maternal employment influences the socioemotional well-being of children living with a lone mother in Scotland.

Previous research has shown that children who do not live with both of their parents fare worse on a variety of outcomes. However, less is known about the factors that contribute to the negative effect of family structure.

Using Growing Up in Scotland data, this study reveals that children of working lone mothers are less at risk of having severe socioemotional problems, particularly if their mothers work in medium–high occupational positions. Higher levels of household income and the greater psychological well-being of working mothers partly explain the positive effect of maternal employment.

Data Comic: How crime has changed in Scotland

30.10.2020
Susan McVie

The Understanding Inequalities project team were delighted to have the opportunity to work with graphic artist Miranda Smith, who used data and findings provided by Professor Susan McVie to create the data comic "How crime has changed in Scotland".

Illustration of police offer behind "police line" tape

The comic looks at how crime has changed in Scotland, including the fall in police recorded crime and how young people have contributed to the crime drop. It also explores poverty as a risk factor for offending and what happens to young offenders who are caught by the police.

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