Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services Data Report - April 2021

Summary

This pack provides information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Justice system during April 2021.

Data has been gathered from a number of different sources and may be subject to future revision.

Public compliance

This pack includes information on COVID-19 related interventions undertaken by Police Scotland. In addition to this, information on the public's compliance with measures to help restrict the spread of COVID-19 is collected from surveys of the population. Findings from these surveys can be found in the Public attitudes to Coronavirus: March Update.

Three quarters of respondents agreed that the best thing to do is to follow the government's advice. This has remained high and stable through January and February. However, those stating they had engaged in a non-compliant activity has risen from the start of January (23% to 33%

Police activity

• The number of crimes reco rded in April 2021 was 13% higher than in April 2020 and 8% lower than in April 2019.
• Weekly incident numbers have been similar in April 2021, compared to April 2020.
• The number of Domestic Abuse incidents recorded in April 2021 was lower than the level seen in both April 2019 and 2020.
• Coronavirus interventions increased in April 2021 due to a spike across the Easter weekend. Levels have generally been lower than April to June 2020 levels.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Courts & Prisons

• Sheriff Court Summary business increased on 19th April following a period of business restrictions due to lockdown in early 2021.
• Community disposals were returning to 19-20 levels but there remains a backlog of cases (and associated disposals) to conclude.
• Initiations and disposals in the civil court remain below 19-20 levels.
• Prison populations initially decreased as court business abated.
• The number of prisoners on remand subsequently rose to its current, historically high, level