Murder.

Carnegie thinks there is a serious danger of reading too much into some statistisc.

"FIFE’S homicide rate has risen to its highest level in a decade, according to statistics published by the Scottish Government yesterday. Figures revealed five people were unlawfully killed in the region in the year ending April 2007—in the same period between 2005 and 2006 two murders were recorded."

It may be the highest for a decade but the total was thankfully only five. Five too many but a fraction of those recorded in other areas most notably Strathclyde where the rate is swelled by a prevalent knife culture. And given such a low number of offences recorded even one murder will result in a big percentage change in the figures.

It is other forms of crime that are the most likely for the average Fifer to come into contact with and that is what we should worry about.