Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services Data Report - December 2020

Summary

This pack provides information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Justice system during December 2020.

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: November Update.

Claimed compliance was high in September and October.

Police activity

• Recorded crime was 6% lower over April to December compared to last year.
• The number of incidents remain below 2019 levels.
• Domestic abuse incidents were 4% higher in April to December 2020 compared to last year.
• Coronavirus interventions decreased by 10% between November and December.

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

• COPFS reports awaiting marking continue to increase beyond 19-20 levels.
• To reduce footfall in lockdown, the majority of summary business will be adjourned.
• Community disposals are 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 decreased as court business abated.
• Prisoners on remand remain at historically high levels.