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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 5(a) Numbers of people convicted by sex and age, 2010-11 to 2019-20

Type of accused[1]   2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 % change 2018-19 to 2019-20
All People[2,3] Total[4] 115,574  108,339  100,905  105,573  106,571  99,954  92,328  83,175  78,488  75,249  -4
  under 16[] 67  47  36  16  12  14  17  11  12  15  25
  16-17 4,053  3,347  2,534  2,027  1,834  1,787  1,713  1,478  1,321  994  -25
  18-20 13,253  11,693  9,404  8,573  8,230  7,974  7,086  6,002  5,305  5,015  -5
  21-30 41,750  38,750  36,212  36,361  35,670  33,301  30,443  26,528  24,510  22,745  -7
  31-40 28,549  27,320  26,059  27,837  29,069  27,099  25,663  24,168  23,413  23,004  -2
  41-50 18,344  17,989  17,408  19,443  19,541  18,308  16,296  14,828  14,008  13,553  -3
  51-60 6,970  6,760  6,761  8,146  8,880  8,242  7,920  7,222  6,956  6,911  -1
  Over 60 2,588  2,433  2,491  3,170  3,335  3,229  3,190  2,938  2,963  3,012  2
Males Total[4] 97,042  90,902  84,347  87,983  88,650  83,010  76,476  68,572  64,655  62,126  -4
  under 165 52  45  34  15  12  14  13  10  11  15  36
  16-17 3,600  2,935  2,202  1,775  1,594  1,585  1,493  1,277  1,166  876  -25
  18-20 11,493  10,155  8,122  7,397  7,022  6,818  6,093  5,114  4,519  4,291  -5
  21-30 35,177  32,761  30,338  30,705  30,155  28,123  25,777  22,480  20,753  19,130  -8
  31-40 23,564  22,467  21,567  22,836  23,756  22,101  20,699  19,347  18,755  18,584  -1
  41-50 15,071  14,816  14,234  15,817  15,938  14,828  13,169  11,942  11,312  11,034  -2
  51-60 5,850  5,595  5,678  6,771  7,358  6,804  6,539  5,941  5,660  5,647  0
  Over 60 2,235  2,128  2,172  2,667  2,815  2,737  2,693  2,461  2,479  2,549  3
Females Total[4] 18,532  17,437  16,558  17,590  17,921  16,944  15,852  14,603  13,833  13,123  -5
  under 16[5] 15  2  2  1  -  -  4  1  1  -  -100
  16-17 453  412  332  252  240  202  220  201  155  118  -24
  18-20 1,760  1,538  1,282  1,176  1,208  1,156  993  888  786  724  -8
  21-30 6,573  5,989  5,874  5,656  5,515  5,178  4,666  4,048  3,757  3,615  -4
  31-40 4,985  4,853  4,492  5,001  5,313  4,998  4,964  4,821  4,658  4,420  -5
  41-50 3,273  3,173  3,174  3,626  3,603  3,480  3,127  2,886  2,696  2,519  -7
  51-60 1,120  1,165  1,083  1,375  1,522  1,438  1,381  1,281  1,296  1,264  -2
  Over 60 353  305  319  503  520  492  497  477  484  463  -4

1. A person who had a charge proved more than once within an individual year will be counted more than once .
2. Figures in the table are calculated as ratios per 1,000 of the Scottish population.
3. Includes sex not known; excludes companies.
4. Includes age not known; uses mid-year population estimate for those aged 8 upwards.
5. Uses mid-year population estimate for those aged 8-15.

Contact

Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

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