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

Recorded Crime in Scotland

The recorded crime figures presented below exclude crimes recorded under the coronavirus legislation.

 

Note: Each set of columns shows from left to right, July 2019, 2020 and 2021

July 2021

The number of crimes reco rded in July 2021 was 6% lower than in July 2020 and 13% lower than in July 2019. The number of offences was 3% lower than in July 2020 and 7% lower than in July 2019.

Non-sexual crimes of violence were 6% higher (or 51 crimes) compared to July 2020, increasing from 827 to 878 crimes, and 11% higher compared to July 2019 (increasing from 794 crimes). Within this, Attempted murder and serious assault increased by 3% compared to July 2020 (from 351 to 361). Other violence increased by 30% compared to July 2020 (from 168 to 218) and also increased by 68% from July 2019 (from 130 to 218).

Sexual crimes were 4% lower (or 45 crimes) compared to last July, decreasing from 1,203 to 1,158 crimes. This was 4% higher than in July 2019 (increasing from 1,117 crimes). Sexual assault saw the largest increase since July 2020, increasing by 5% (from 400 to 419). However, this was 3% lower than in July 2019. Rape and attempted rape decreased by 22% compared to July 2020, from 255 to 199 crimes. This was also an 11% increase compared to July 2019 (from 179 to 199 crimes).

Fire raising, vandalism etc. remained relatively unchanged (2 fewer crimes) than in July 2020, but 8% lower than in July 2019.

Crimes of dishonesty were 3% lower (or 223 crimes) compared to July 2020, decreasing from 8,166 to 7,943 crimes. This was also 21% lower than in July 2019 (decreasing from 10,008 crimes). Crimes of Fraud have increased throughout the pandemic, however there has been a 10% decrease since July 2020 (from 1,534 to 1,381).

Other crimes were 17% lower (or 1,090 crimes) than in July 2020, decreasing from 6,445 to 5,355 crimes. This was also 8% lower than July 2019 (decreasing from 5,836 to 5,355 crimes). The main contributors to these decreases were Drugs (which fell by 25% compared to July 2020 and 28% compared to July 2019) and Crimes against public justice (which fell by 8% compared to July 2020 but were 23% higher compared to July 2019).

 

Note: each category shows columns from left to right for July 2019, 2020 and 2021

The biggest drivers of the decrease from July 2020 to July 2021 were Drugs and Crimes against public justice.

The biggest drivers of the 6% decrease over this period were:

Drugs

↓ 25% (or 795 crimes)

↓ 28% (or 909 crimes) compared to July 2019

Crimes against public justice

↓ 8% (or 178 crimes)

↑ 23% (or 393 crimes) compared to July 2019

The biggest increases from July 2020 to July 2021 (by volume) were:

Other violence

↑ 30% (or 50 crimes)

↑ 68% (or 88 crimes) compared to July 2019

Theft of a motor vehicle

↑ 13% (or 45 crimes)

↓ 10% (or 45 crimes) compared to July 2019

Further Information:

The data in this section comes from the monthly Official Statistics on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, please see Recorded Crime in Scotland: July 2021.

Coronavirus legislation intervention activity

This information is drawn from Police Scotland's 'Coronavirus Interventions' application, which relies on manual input from Police Officers. Due to this manual input, these figures should be viewed as indicative only.

This system currently provides the broadest picture of the differing levels of co-operation experienced by Police across Scotland.

The use of interventions decreased in July 2021. This may primarily be due to the lifting of restrictions.

Total use of interventions decreased by 53% (or 803 interventions) since the previous month.

 

COVID-19 Intervention Activity in July 2021

In July, 96% of interventions made were dispersals. This is a slightly higher percentage than the previous month (93% in June).

Chart: Monthly COVID-19 interventions

726 interventions in July

33% of interventions were dispersals but only when instructed (238)

48% of interventions were dispersals when informed (348)

Of the remaining 19% of interventions:

• 108 were dispersed using reasonable force
• 30 were issued a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)
• 2 were arrested

Further Information:

A full breakdown of interventions is available from Police Scotland.

Police Recorded Domestic Abuse Incidents

The number of Domestic Abuse incidents recorded in July 2021 was lower than the level seen in July 2020, but higher than in July 2019.

These updates (including the proportion with a crime or offence) will be reflected in future editions of the Official Statistics on Domestic Abuse in Scotland. The most recent edition covers the 2019-20 reporting year.

 

In July 2021:

5,503 Domestic incidents recorded

Down 5% since July 2020 (5,769 incidents)

Up 3% since July 2019 (5,358 incidents)

In April to July 2021:

21,252 Domestic incidents recorded

Down 8% since the same months in 2020 (23,021 incidents)

Unchanged (up <1%) since the same months in 2019 (21,210 incidents)

The proportion of April to July 2021 incidents that included the recording of at least one crime or offence was 42.3%. Police Scotland's Management Information Report suggests an equivalent figure of 42.4% for 2020-21.

In addition to the above, separate figures on crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 are available from the Recorded Crime in Scotland monthly Official Statistics. There were 131 such crimes recorded by the police in July 2021, this is 11% lower than July 2020 (148 crimes) and 6% lower than July 2019 (140 crimes).

Police Recorded Domestic Abuse Incidents per 10,000 population

Across Scotland as a whole, the police recorded 39 domestic abuse incidents per 10,000 population^[1] during the period April to July 2021.

The local authorities with the highest rates were Dundee City Council (58), West Dunbartonshire (54) and Clackmannanshire (51).

 

 

Further Information:

The crime data in this section comes from the monthly Official Statistics on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, please see Recorded Crime in Scotland: July 2021.