Criminal proceedings in Scotland 2017-2018

Summary of offences dealt with by courts, sentencing outcomes and characteristics of convicted offenders. Additional information on non-court penalties issued by the Police and Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service.


Table 4(a) People proceeded against by main crime/offence, 2008-09 to 2017-18

Main crime or offence 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-181 % change 2016-17 to 2017-18 All offences proceeded, 2017-18 2
All crimes and offences 140,666 136,303 131,142 124,842 116,685 121,793 123,333 116,833 107,362 95,254 -11 176,093
All crimes 53,674 50,351 49,105 48,066 44,093 42,982 42,794 42,027 38,492 34,584 -10 70,018
Non-sexual crimes of violence 3,574 3,430 3,557 3,434 3,175 2,655 2,586 2,641 2,567 2,585 1 3,378
Homicide etc 136 144 139 134 148 113 111 111 93 114 23 120
Attempted murder and serious assault 2,382 2,210 2,098 2,047 2,033 1,633 1,641 1,740 1,700 1,725 1 2,079
Robbery 703 677 687 771 668 585 505 522 525 539 3 725
Other non-sexual crimes of violence 353 399 633 482 326 324 329 268 249 207 -17 454
Sexual crimes 1,114 1,016 933 972 1,179 1,455 1,644 1,615 1,513 1,502 -1 4,008
Rape and attempted rape 114 117 80 93 138 219 271 216 251 247 -2 526
Sexual assault 231 218 216 218 314 373 453 447 443 483 9 1,436
Crimes associated with prostitution 355 264 270 217 167 185 176 117 98 53 -46 73
Other sexual crimes 414 417 367 444 560 678 744 835 721 719 0 1,973
Crimes of dishonesty 19,585 17,902 17,630 17,040 15,366 14,654 14,249 13,236 12,311 11,073 -10 22,473
Housebreaking 2,172 1,886 1,813 1,880 1,706 1,276 1,168 1,017 1,022 944 -8 1,672
Theft by opening lockfast places 408 367 338 337 312 284 254 234 217 168 -23 404
Theft from a motor vehicle 437 340 318 295 238 167 131 120 105 91 -13 288
Theft of a motor vehicle 975 772 647 669 553 442 446 417 380 331 -13 1,358
Shoplifting 8,826 8,617 8,369 7,817 6,986 7,070 7,426 7,092 6,725 6,039 -10 10,914
Other theft 3,596 3,213 3,391 3,571 3,308 3,155 2,865 2,552 2,208 1,953 -12 4,043
Fraud 1,623 1,292 1,228 925 761 825 693 679 654 567 -13 1,813
Other dishonesty 1,548 1,415 1,526 1,546 1,502 1,435 1,266 1,125 1,000 980 -2 1,981
Fire-raising, vandalism, etc. 4,964 4,452 3,991 3,623 3,174 3,024 2,944 2,712 2,395 2,183 -9 4,339
Fire-raising 283 223 194 176 170 161 159 143 140 153 9 249
Vandalism etc. 4,681 4,229 3,797 3,447 3,004 2,863 2,785 2,569 2,255 2,030 -10 4,090
Other crimes 24,437 23,551 22,994 22,997 21,199 21,194 21,371 21,823 19,706 17,241 -13 35,820
Crimes against public justice 11,789 11,200 11,244 11,806 11,249 11,111 11,430 11,589 10,304 9,137 -11 19,779
Handling offensive weapons 4,134 3,457 2,953 2,838 2,226 2,104 1,989 1,883 1,790 1,754 -2 3,273
Drugs 8,261 8,694 8,553 8,125 7,492 7,782 7,766 8,181 7,412 6,233 -16 12,518
Other crime 253 200 244 228 232 197 186 170 200 117 -42 250
All offences 86,992 85,952 82,037 76,776 72,592 78,811 80,539 74,806 68,870 60,670 -12 106,075
Miscellaneous offences 39,677 37,411 34,976 35,853 34,746 35,939 38,789 39,688 36,061 31,127 -14 59,086
Common assault 16,511 16,079 15,812 16,341 15,017 14,744 15,766 16,374 14,867 12,833 -14 24,180
Breach of the peace etc. 18,003 16,168 13,958 14,608 15,069 16,262 18,522 19,418 18,026 15,706 -13 29,864
Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct 960 768 670 352 257 358 283 165 80 50 -38 433
Urinating etc. 82 54 55 28 44 47 47 31 17 16 -6 95
Other miscellaneous 4,121 4,342 4,481 4,524 4,359 4,528 4,171 3,700 3,071 2,522 -18 4,514
Motor vehicle offences 47,315 48,541 47,061 40,923 37,846 42,872 41,750 35,118 32,809 29,543 -10 46,989
Dangerous and careless driving 4,002 3,713 3,495 3,198 3,095 3,899 3,778 3,989 4,168 4,191 1 5,392
Driving under the influence 7,516 6,529 5,648 5,562 5,009 4,318 3,845 3,730 3,824 3,835 0 5,121
Speeding 13,696 14,490 13,172 12,602 12,195 14,281 14,251 12,630 10,874 9,561 -12 10,111
Unlawful use of motor vehicle 13,812 13,271 12,137 9,899 8,671 9,474 9,242 7,076 7,921 7,577 -4 16,455
Vehicle defect offences 1,614 1,792 1,902 1,623 1,374 1,740 1,724 1,661 1,429 1,057 -26 2,442
Seat belt offences 1,282 2,267 2,743 2,047 2,132 2,604 2,293 527 326 97 -70 226
Mobile phone offences 2,386 3,018 3,916 2,896 2,937 3,415 3,606 2,645 1,710 992 -42 1,144
Other motor vehicle offences 3,007 3,461 4,048 3,096 2,433 3,141 3,011 2,860 2,557 2,233 -13 6,098

1. Figures for some categories dealt with by the high court - including homicide, rape and major drug cases - may be underestimated due to late recording of disposals - see annex notes B16 to B19.
2. Number of individual offences relating to people proceeded against, whether or not the main crime/offence involved.

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Email: Ian Volante

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