Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2022-23

Crimes against society

Crimes against society accounted for 21% of all crimes recorded in Scotland in 2022-23. Between 2021-22 and 2022-23, the number of Crimes against society recorded by the police decreased by 3%, from 61,059 to 59,374. This fall is mostly driven by a decrease in the recording of Drugs – Possession.

Chart 13 below shows the number of Crimes against society from 1971 onwards. After increasing for a long period up to 2006-07, these crimes decreased until 2016-17, before rising and then falling again over 2020-21 to 2022-23. It should be noted that a key part of the overall increase since 2016-17 is due to a procedural change in the recording of crimes of handling an offensive weapon (see later in this section for further information).

The national rate of recorded Crimes against society was 108 crimes per 10,000 population in 2022-23. This decreased from 111 per 10,000 population in 2021-22.

Chart 14 shows the categories within Crimes against society over the last ten years and gives an indication of the trend and scale of each category.

In 2022-23, of all Crimes against society:

• Crimes against public justice and Drugs - Possession were the largest categories, accounting for 39% and 38%, respectively
• Weapons possession (used) accounted for 10%
• Drugs – Supply and Weapons possession (not used) accounted for 7% each
• Other crimes against society accounted for less than 1%

Note: There was a procedural change to the counting of crimes of handling an offensive weapon in 2017-18. As such, the significant rise in the total number of recorded crimes of handling an offensive weapon shown for that year, does not represent a real increase in these crimes.

The following sections discuss in more detail trends for each crime category comprised in the Crimes against society crime group. These are:

Crimes against society

• Crimes against public justice
• Weapons possession (not used)
• Weapons possession (used)
• Drugs Supply
• Drugs Possession
• Other crimes against society

Further details on some categories can be found in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook.

Crimes against public justice

Crimes against public justice accounted for 39% of Crimes against society, the largest category in 2022-23. These cover a range of crimes, including Bail offences, Resisting arrest and General attempts to pervert the course of justice.

Over the ten year period from 2013-14 to 2022-23 the number of crimes recorded in this category decreased by 3%. There was a 1% decrease in the most recent year, from 23,099 recorded in 2021-22 to 22,967 in 2022-23. This is the second year there has been a decrease after a large increase between 2019-20 and 2020-21, which was likely due to the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Handling offensive weapons

In 2017-18 the Scottish Crime Recording Board made a procedural change to how some crimes of handling an offensive weapon were recorded. This has had an impact on the comparability of the recorded crime statistics before and after this point.

Prior to 2017-18, statistics on handling offensive weapons in public places only include incidents where the perpetrator did not commit further crimes with the weapon. If they had, the specific crime of handling an offensive weapon was considered an aggravation of the crime it was used to commit (for example an aggravated assault) and would not have been included in the statistics.

From 1 April 2017, crimes of handling offensive weapons in public places are no longer treated as an aggravation where they are used to commit other crimes or offences against a person. As such, both the crime of handling an offensive weapon in a public place and any crime or offence committed with it are now both included in the statistics. This change was made to improve consistency between the recording of these crimes and the criminal law.

As a result of this change, crimes of handling an offensive weapon have been substantially higher since 2017-18. This does not represent a real increase in recorded crime. This change will continue to have an impact on the comparability of recorded crime statistics for all years prior to 2017-18.

From 2017-18, crimes of handling an offensive weapon in Scotland can then be counted in two different ways:

• the first is to use the pre-existing statistics, where the offensive weapon has not been used to commit another crime or offence against a person in a public place
• the second is to look at crimes where the offensive weapon was used to commit another crime or offence against a person in a public place

In June 2018 the Scottish Government published a report that presented more detailed information on the handling of offensive weapons within public places in Scotland. This included findings on the characteristics of these cases, based on a random sample of 1,500 crimes recorded by the police for the first six months (April to September) of 2013 and 2017. More information can be found by accessing the 'Recorded Crime in Scotland: Handling Offensive Weapons' publication.

On 28^th June 2022, Part 1, Section 6 of the Offensive Weapons Act was implemented. This included the introduction of an offence of having a corrosive substance in a public place. Part 4 of the legislation came into effect on 27 March 2023, meaning the possession of certain offensive weapons are now illegal in both a public and private place. Five crimes of Possessing a corrosive substance in public not used in other crime or offences, one crime of Possessing a corrosive substance in public used in other crime or offences and four crimes of Possession of offensive weapons in a private place not used in other crimes or offences were recorded in 2022-23.

Weapons possession – Not used in other crimes or offences

The crime of Weapons possession (not used) accounted for 7% of Crimes against society in 2022-23.

Over the ten year period from 2013-14 to 2022-23 the number of crimes recorded in this category increased by 7% (from 3,795 to 4,064). However, there was a 2% decrease in the most recent year, from 4,160 in 2021-22 to 4,064 in 2022-23.

In 2022-23, 81 crimes of handling an offensive weapon (not used) occurred within a prison, compared to 176 in 2021-22.

In 2022-23, 147 crimes of handling an offensive weapon (not used) occurred within a school. This compares to 126 in 2021-22.

Weapons possession – Used in other crimes or offences

The crime of Weapons possession (used) accounted for 10% of Crimes against society in 2022-23.

There was a 4% decrease in the most recent year, from 5,888 crimes recorded in 2021-22 to 5,663 in 2022-23.

In 2022-23, 66 crimes of handling an offensive weapon (used) occurred within a prison, compared to 80 in 2021-22.

In 2022-23, 96 crimes of handling an offensive weapon (used) occurred within a school, compared to 102 in 2021-22.

Drugs – Supply

Crimes related to the Supply of Drugs accounted for 7% of Crimes against society. Over the ten-year period from 2013-14 to 2022-23 the number of crimes recorded in this category decreased by 21%. However, there was a 3% increase in the most recent year, from 3,976 in 2021-22 to 4,087 in 2022-23.

Drugs – Possession

Crimes of Possession of Drugs accounted for 38% of Crimes against society. Over the ten year period from 2013-14 to 2022-23 the number of crimes recorded in this category has decreased by 27%. This includes a 6% decrease in the most recent year, from 23,747 crimes in 2021-22 to 22,356 in 2022-23.

Other crimes against society

Other crimes against society accounted for less than 1% of all Crimes against society. This category includes Treason, Conspiracy, Explosive offences, Wrecking, piracy and hijacking, and Crimes against public order.

Over the ten year period from 2013-14 to 2022-23 the number of crimes recorded in this category decreased by 31%. However, there was a 25% increase in the most recent year, from 189 crimes recorded in 2021-22 to 237 in 2022-23.

Coronavirus restrictions crimes

The enactment of the Coronavirus Act 2020 and Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 (implemented on 25 March and 27 March 2020 respectively) led to new and additional crimes being recorded within these statistics since 2019-20. For example, this includes cases where someone had left the place they were living during lockdown, did not have a reasonable excuse for this when asked by a police officer, and failed to comply with police advice or instruction to return there. Further legislation in respect of local travel restrictions came in to force on 2 November 2020.

The last legal restrictions relating to COVID-19 were lifted in Scotland in April 2022, and there were no crimes recorded during the 2022-23 reporting year. Whilst many incidents were dealt with by the police without the need for enforcement, 3,913 Coronavirus restrictions crimes were recorded in 2021-22, accounting for 1% of all crime recorded in Scotland that year. This compares to 20,976 equivalent crimes recorded in 2020-21.