Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2022-23

8. Community sentences

(Tables 7a-b, 8a-c and 11)

Community sentence is a collective term for the different sentences given by courts that are served in the community, often as an alternative to a custodial sentence. Community Payback Orders are the most widely used community sentence and can include requirements such as unpaid work or other activity requirements, being supervised by a social worker, or programme requirements. Other community sentences are Drug Treatment and Testing Orders and Restriction of Liberty Orders. There is a wide range of options available in the Scottish courts, which are listed at Annex D.

High-level summary

Community sentences

(Tables 7a-b, 8a-c and 11)

In 2022-23, there were 16,246 community sentences issued. Of these:

• 12,632 were Community payback orders (78%)
• 3,331 were restriction of liberty orders (21%)
• 277 were drug treatment and testing orders (2%)

And

• 40% of sentences for non-sexual crimes of violence were community sentences
• 56% of sentences for sexual crimes were community sentences

Year on year change (2021-22 to 2022-23)

Between 2021-22 and 2022-23

• All community sentences increased by 15% to 16,246
• Community payback orders increased by 21%
• Restriction of liberty orders remained broadly unchanged
• Drug treatment and testing orders decreased by 12%

Change over the latest 10 years (2013-14 to 2022-23)

• Between 2013-14 and 2022-23 all community sentences decreased by 11%
• A community sentence was the main penalty imposed on a convicted person in 24% of cases in 2022-23. This is the same as in 2021-22 (24%) and an increase from 2013-14 (17%)
• The only type of community sentence to increase over ten years were restriction of liberty orders (up 209%)

Breakdown by gender

• In 2022-23 males accounted for 85% (13,870) of all community sentences
• Between 2013-14 and 2022-23 the number of community sentences issued to males decreased by 9% compared to 22% for females

Key points to note

• The 15% increase in people given a main penalty of a community sentence between 2021-22 and 2022-23 was driven by a 21% rise in Community Payback Orders (from 10,475 to 12,632). Over the last year, other types of community sentence either held steady or declined.

Chart 12. Community sentences have declined in the long term but increased in recent years, whereas Restriction of Liberty Orders have steadily increased.

People issued community sentences in Scottish criminal courts, by community sentence type, 2013-14 to 2022-23.