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Publication - Statistics

Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2019-20

Published
18 May 2021
Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate
Topic
Law and order
ISBN
9781800049628

A total of 85,726 people were proceeded against in Scottish criminal courts in 2019-20, a fall of 4% from 89,725 proceedings in 2018-19 The number of convictions was 75,251 in 2019-20, which is also a fall of 4% from 78,488 in 2018-19. This continues the general downward trend of the last ten years,

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Table 4(b) People convicted by main crime/offence, 2010-11 to 2019-20

Main crime or offence 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20[1] % change 2018-19 to 2019-20 All offences proceeded, 2019-20 [2]
All crimes and offences 115,581  108,424  101,018  105,658  106,575  99,954  92,330  83,177  78,488  75,251  -4 108,184 
All crimes 42,350  40,725  37,024  36,275  36,565  35,790  32,611  29,742  28,520  28,033  -2 40,852 
 Non-sexual crimes of violence 2,540  2,461  2,143  1,804  1,745  1,776  1,725  1,829  1,772  2,142  21 2,388 
  Homicide etc 117  111  115  93  81  84  78  89  81  81  - 83 
  Attempted murder and serious assault 1,419  1,365  1,285  1,043  1,053  1,118  1,115  1,176  1,166  1,298  11 1,396 
  Robbery  526  606  520  448  386  384  370  410  361  410  14 497 
  Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  206  - 208 
  Other non-sexual crimes of violence 478  379  223  220  225  190  162  154  164  147  -10 204 
 Sexual crimes 818  838  911  1,130  1,213  1,215  1,080  1,110  1,224  1,204  -2 2,353 
  Rape and attempted rape 36  49  77  91  125  105  99  106  142  130  -8 264 
  Sexual assault[3] 160  151  204  236  276  278  266  300  301  305  1 760 
  Crimes associated with prostitution 245  200  142  169  145  86  84  47  37  45  22 52 
  Other sexual crimes 377  438  488  634  667  746  631  657  744  724  -3 1,277 
 Crimes of dishonesty 15,613  14,772  13,250  12,579  12,526  11,605  10,809  9,862  9,771  9,076  -7 14,008 
  Housebreaking 1,540  1,498  1,365  1,037  979  858  873  812  765  796  4 1,094 
  Theft by opening lockfast places 284  291  247  218  212  196  184  147  161  111  -31 192 
  Theft from a motor vehicle 270  250  200  143  112  101  94  84  110  89  -19 142 
  Theft of a motor vehicle 483  450  373  272  318  302  270  249  222  200  -10 471 
  Shoplifting 7,853  7,267  6,500  6,532  6,942  6,596  6,248  5,661  5,928  5,395  -9 7,893 
  Other theft 2,871  2,961  2,720  2,577  2,341  2,093  1,796  1,634  1,487  1,460  -2 2,150 
  Fraud 1,070  811  624  681  602  545  545  471  411  410  - 1,064 
  Other dishonesty 1,242  1,244  1,221  1,119  1,020  914  799  804  687  615  -10 1,002 
 Fire-raising, vandalism, etc. 3,362  3,016  2,583  2,504  2,442  2,233  1,972  1,827  1,771  1,693  -4 2,298 
  Fire-raising 159  146  133  130  133  116  114  124  119  121  2 173 
  Vandalism etc. 3,203  2,870  2,450  2,374  2,309  2,117  1,858  1,703  1,652  1,572  -5 2,125 
 Other crimes 20,017  19,638  18,137  18,258  18,639  18,961  17,025  15,114  13,982  13,918  - 19,805 
  Crimes against public justice 9,822  10,170  9,767  9,672  10,013  10,177  9,033  8,108  7,298  7,652  5 11,138 
  Handling offensive weapons 2,445  2,265  1,709  1,684  1,586  1,489  1,436  1,476  1,579  1,735  10 2,244 
  Drugs 7,531  6,990  6,449  6,720  6,868  7,144  6,371  5,417  5,005  4,430  -11 6,268 
  Other crime 219  213  212  182  172  151  185  113  100  101  1 155 
All offences 73,231  67,699  63,994  69,383  70,010  64,164  59,719  53,435  49,968  47,218  -6 67,332 
 Miscellaneous offences 29,125  29,416  28,541  29,098  31,051  31,599  29,140  25,765  22,464  21,538  -4 33,219 
  Common assault 12,600  12,762  11,648  11,213  11,762  12,080  11,240  9,901  8,727  8,301  -5 12,550 
  Breach of the peace etc. 12,114  12,544  12,961  13,731  15,585  16,298  15,303  13,674  11,901  11,449  -4 17,975 
  Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct 624  309  220  306  250  148  69  42  31  31  - 100 
  Urinating etc 43  20  32  41  43  29  13  14  9  2  -78 9 
  Other miscellaneous 3,744  3,781  3,680  3,807  3,411  3,044  2,515  2,134  1,796  1,755  -2 2,585 
 Motor vehicle offences 44,106  38,283  35,453  40,285  38,959  32,565  30,579  27,670  27,504  25,680  -7 34,113 
  Dangerous and careless driving 3,167  2,858  2,811  3,574  3,411  3,569  3,759  3,813  3,118  3,360  8 4,017 
  Driving under the influence 5,351  5,287  4,735  4,091  3,681  3,537  3,634  3,660  3,552  3,385  -5 4,085 
  Speeding 12,955  12,381  12,034  14,125  14,007  12,370  10,686  9,410  9,069  9,171  1 9,508 
  Unlawful use of motor vehicle 11,069  9,020  7,863  8,526  8,318  6,334  7,164  6,923  7,643  6,285  -18 10,971 
  Vehicle defect offences 1,723  1,504  1,243  1,611  1,580  1,537  1,335  981  1,130  1,067  -6 1,852 
  Seat belt offences 2,673  1,982  2,052  2,539  2,172  481  312  86  209  173  -17 258 
  Mobile phone offences 3,603  2,641  2,663  3,096  3,162  2,281  1,477  861  688  463  -33 499 
  Other motor vehicle offences 3,565  2,610  2,052  2,723  2,628  2,456  2,212  1,936  2,095  1,776  -15 2,923 

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 Revisions section.
2. Number of individual offences relating to people with a charge proved, whether or not the main crime/offence involved

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Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

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