The figures show a drop in housebreaking

Violent crime - much of it associated with excessive drinking - continues to be a serious problem in the west of Scotland.

In the last year serious assaults have risen by more than 10% and the number of attempted murders is up from around 200 to more than 260.

The problems of young men continuing to carry knives are reflected in a 16% increase in crimes of that type.

But Strathclyde's assistant chief constable, Graham Pearson, said aggressive policing on the street was also responsible for the figures going up.

Car theft down

He said that the force's "spotlight campaigns" had been responsible for many offenders being caught.

Mr Pearson said: "During this period we have been involved in high-profile policing.

"We are successful in apprehending people. For every 36 searches we conduct we arrest one person in possession of a knife or an offensive weapon."

Mr Pearson said that officers would continue to clamp down on youngsters who carried weapons.

"The public should not be alarmed as the vast majority of victims know their attacker and the violence occurs within the house."

Other notable figures in the latest report include a considerable drop in car theft and a drop in housebreaking.

Similar statistics, compiled at the end of 2000, showed that violent crime in Scotland had soared by a third.

The Scottish Crime Survey said there had been a fall of 13% in overall crime between 1995 and 1999 but concluded that violent crime bucked the trend with an increase of 33% over the same period.