Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2022-23

9. Financial penalties and other sentences

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

The Courts can impose financial penalties such as fines, which are enforced by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS), or compensation orders, which are collected by the SCTS with the monies then paid to the victim. “Other sentences” are mostly admonishments which are a verbal warning from the sheriff.

High-level summary

Financial penalties and other sentences

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

In 2022-23, there were 30,351 financial penalties issued (45% of all sentences). Of these:

• 29,622 were fines (98%)
• 729 were compensation orders (2%)
• 22% sentences for non-sexual crimes of violence were financial penalties
• 5% of sentences for sexual crimes were financial penalties
• 87% of sentences for road traffic offences were financial penalties
• There were 11,771 admonitions in 2022-23, 17% of all sentences

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

Between 2021-22 and 2022-23 all financial penalties increased by 13% to 30,351

• Fines also increased by 13%
• Compensation orders increased by 20%

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

Between 2013-14 and 2022-23 all financial penalties decreased by 47%

• Fines decreased by 48%
• Compensation orders decreased by 17%
• As a proportion of all sentences, financial penalties decreased from 55% to 45%
• The average fine (calculated as the median) has increased from £180 in 2013-14 to £300 in 2022-23

Breakdown by gender and age

• In 2022-23 males accounted for 83% (25,094) of all financial penalties.

Key points to note

• Longer term trends in sentencing show a shift away from financial penalties towards community sentences.

Notes for financial penalties and other sentences;

Note 1. The median value is the midpoint of a ranked series of data. It is used so that very high or very low values do not impact excessively on the calculated average.

Note 2. Year-on-year comparisons for fines and compensation orders are in cash terms, and have therefore not been adjusted for inflation.