Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2019-20
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,
Table 10(a) People receiving a custodial sentence by main crime/offence and length of sentence, 2019-20[1]
Main crime or offence | Total | Up to 3 months | Over 3 months to 6 months | Over 6 months to 1 year | Over 1 year to 2 years | Over 2 years to less than 4 years | 4 years and over | Life | Average length of sentence (days)[2,3] | Up to 3 months | Over 3 months to 6 months | Over 6 months to 1 year | Over 1 year to 2 years | Over 2 years to less than 4 years | 4 years and over including life etc |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All crimes and offences | 11,076 | 2,551 | 3,704 | 2,069 | 1,600 | 625 | 486 | 41 | 356 | 23 | 33 | 19 | 14 | 6 | 5 |
All crimes | 7,437 | 1,763 | 2,097 | 1,203 | 1,308 | 561 | 464 | 41 | 425 | 24 | 28 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 7 |
Non-sexual crimes of violence | 1,102 | 6 | 39 | 136 | 431 | 234 | 216 | 40 | 988 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 39 | 21 | 23 |
Homicide etc | 67 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 25 | 40 | 2,297 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 97 |
Attempted murder and serious assault | 658 | 2 | 16 | 63 | 274 | 155 | 148 | - | 1,074 | * | 2 | 10 | 42 | 24 | 22 |
Robbery | 305 | - | 10 | 54 | 137 | 70 | 34 | - | 752 | - | 3 | 18 | 45 | 23 | 11 |
Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act | 37 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 3 | - | - | 363 | 8 | 24 | 35 | 24 | 8 | - |
Other non-sexual crimes of violence | 35 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 9 | - | 1,071 | 3 | 11 | 17 | 29 | 14 | 26 |
Sexual crimes | 425 | 6 | 32 | 56 | 102 | 66 | 163 | - | 1,252 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 24 | 16 | 38 |
Rape and attempted rape | 128 | - | - | - | 1 | 10 | 117 | - | 2,445 | - | - | - | 1 | 8 | 91 |
Sexual assault | 126 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 39 | 30 | 33 | - | 1,008 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 31 | 24 | 26 |
Crimes associated with prostitution | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 593 | - | - | 50 | - | 50 | - |
Other sexual crimes | 169 | 4 | 29 | 36 | 62 | 25 | 13 | - | 591 | 2 | 17 | 21 | 37 | 15 | 8 |
Crimes of dishonesty | 2,788 | 849 | 1,111 | 485 | 260 | 79 | 4 | - | 208 | 30 | 40 | 17 | 9 | 3 | * |
Housebreaking | 483 | 16 | 80 | 154 | 166 | 66 | 1 | - | 457 | 3 | 17 | 32 | 34 | 14 | * |
Theft by opening lockfast places | 42 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 222 | 26 | 33 | 29 | 10 | 2 | - |
Theft from a motor vehicle | 32 | 4 | 17 | 6 | 5 | - | - | - | 224 | 13 | 53 | 19 | 16 | - | - |
Theft of a motor vehicle | 57 | 7 | 27 | 15 | 7 | 1 | - | - | 230 | 12 | 47 | 26 | 12 | 2 | - |
Shoplifting | 1,417 | 611 | 664 | 133 | 8 | - | 1 | - | 123 | 43 | 47 | 9 | 1 | - | * |
Other theft | 469 | 101 | 224 | 104 | 35 | 5 | - | - | 196 | 22 | 48 | 22 | 7 | 1 | - |
Fraud | 107 | 19 | 32 | 33 | 18 | 3 | 2 | - | 290 | 18 | 30 | 31 | 17 | 3 | 2 |
Other dishonesty | 181 | 80 | 53 | 28 | 17 | 3 | - | - | 183 | 44 | 29 | 15 | 9 | 2 | - |
Fire-raising, vandalism, etc. | 319 | 81 | 117 | 56 | 47 | 15 | 3 | - | 272 | 25 | 37 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
Fire-raising | 69 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 29 | 13 | 3 | - | 628 | 3 | 9 | 23 | 42 | 19 | 4 |
Vandalism etc. | 250 | 79 | 111 | 40 | 18 | 2 | - | - | 175 | 32 | 44 | 16 | 7 | 1 | - |
Other crimes | 2,803 | 821 | 798 | 470 | 468 | 167 | 78 | 1 | 322 | 29 | 28 | 17 | 17 | 6 | 3 |
Crimes against public justice | 1,404 | 673 | 514 | 160 | 47 | 9 | 1 | - | 140 | 48 | 37 | 11 | 3 | 1 | * |
Handling offensive weapons | 607 | 34 | 139 | 186 | 212 | 34 | 2 | - | 376 | 6 | 23 | 31 | 35 | 6 | * |
Drugs | 746 | 113 | 129 | 117 | 205 | 124 | 58 | - | 545 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 27 | 17 | 8 |
Other crime | 46 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 4 | - | 17 | 1 | 1,607 | 2 | 35 | 15 | 9 | - | 39 |
All offences | 3,639 | 788 | 1,607 | 866 | 292 | 64 | 22 | - | 216 | 22 | 44 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
Miscellaneous offences | 3,250 | 750 | 1,436 | 719 | 268 | 55 | 22 | - | 214 | 23 | 44 | 22 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
Common assault | 1,534 | 246 | 630 | 417 | 197 | 36 | 8 | - | 249 | 16 | 41 | 27 | 13 | 2 | 1 |
Breach of the peace etc. | 1,450 | 436 | 682 | 263 | 55 | 13 | 1 | - | 165 | 30 | 47 | 18 | 4 | 1 | * |
Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Other miscellaneous, including urinating | 266 | 68 | 124 | 39 | 16 | 6 | 13 | - | 275 | 26 | 47 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
Motor vehicle offences | 389 | 38 | 171 | 147 | 24 | 9 | - | - | 237 | 10 | 44 | 38 | 6 | 2 | - |
Dangerous and careless driving | 151 | 6 | 48 | 67 | 22 | 8 | - | - | 315 | 4 | 32 | 44 | 15 | 5 | - |
Driving under the influence | 57 | 13 | 36 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | 142 | 23 | 63 | 12 | 2 | - | - |
Speeding | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 100 | - | - | - | - | - |
Unlawful use of motor vehicle | 177 | 17 | 85 | 73 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 203 | 10 | 48 | 41 | 1 | 1 | - |
Vehicle defect offences | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Other motor vehicle offences[4] | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 132 | 33 | 67 | - | - | - | - |
1. Excludes a small number of cases which resulted in detention of a child aged under 16, recall sentences and a small number of records we do not have sentence information for.
2. Excludes life sentences.
3. Average sentence length figures for some categories may be underestimated slightly due to late recording of some high court disposals see annex Revisions section.
4. Includes seat belt and mobile phone offences.
Contact
Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot
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