VIOLENT crime in Scotland has increased by more than a third in the space of two years, new figures have revealed.

VIOLENT crime in Scotland has increased by more than a third in the space of two years, new figures have revealed.

Minor assaults accounted for the bulk of the rise - with teenagers and young people most likely to become victims.

The trend was disclosed in the Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey which questioned nearly 5000 adults. The findings, compiled over April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006, suggest just over one million crimes took place in Scotland - 13% more than the year before.

Violence - including serious and minor assaults and robbery - made up 30% of crimes committed. The majority - 86% - of violent crimes were minor assaults.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "It's clear too many areas are still blighted by antisocial behaviour.

"Some are plagued by serious crime and there is a general fear of crime that runs well ahead of the actual incidence of crime.

"These figures provide further evidence of the scale of the challenge we have inherited.

"The public's clear concerns with alcohol, drug and crime back my belief that we need to be tough on crime and even tougher on the causes of crime if we are to reduce the fear."

Mr MacAskill said the government would tackle the "scourge" of weapons crime and said there would be a crack down on guns and knives that blight communities.

He said: "There will be no let up on the blades menace."

The survey said crimes against property accounted for 56% of all offences with the remaining 44% being against people.

Some crimes, such as vandalism and housebreaking, are falling.

The figures also show one in three Scots admit to having taken illegal drugs at some point in their lives.

The figure - 37% - represents a huge increase on the 24% identified in a previous survey in 2004.

Experts said today they were satisfied the new figure was more accurate. It compares with 35% in England and Wales.

In Scotland, 17% said they had taken Class A drugs - like cocaine, crack, heroin and ecstasy - compared to 14% in England and Wales.

The most common age for first trying drugs was between 16 and 19, with half of all those surveyed having first tried drugs in that period.