Recorded Crime in Scotland: year ending December 2022

Main findings

Crimes recorded by the police

In the year ending December 2022, the police recorded 287,678 crimes. This was 2% (or 4,638 crimes) lower than the 292,316 crimes recorded in the previous year, and 4% lower than the 298,452 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2018.

Non-sexual crimes of violence

The number of Non-sexual crimes of violence in the year ending December 2022:

• were 5% (or 3,187 crimes) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 65,930 to 69,117 crimes), and
• were 5% (or 3,035 crimes) higher compared to the year ending December 2018 (increasing from 66,082 to 69,117 crimes).

Within this:

• Murder and culpable homicide decreased by 27% compared to the previous year (from 60 to 44 crimes), and decreased by 38% from the year ending December 2018 (from 71 to 44 crimes).
• Death by dangerous driving remained unchanged compared to the previous year (at 37 crimes), but decreased by 20% from the year ending December 2018 (from 46 to 37 crimes).
• Serious assault and attempted murder decreased by 1% compared to the previous year (from 3,609 to 3,583 crimes), and decreased by 18% from the year ending December 2018 (from 4,362 to 3,583 crimes).
• Common assault increased by 5% compared to the previous year (from 55,220 to 58,192 crimes), and increased by 2% from the year ending December 2018 (from 57,160 to 58,192 crimes).
• Robbery decreased by 9% compared to the previous year (from 1,671 to 1,516 crimes), and decreased by 7% from the year ending December 2018 (from 1,624 to 1,516 crimes).
• Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 crimes increased by 4% compared to the previous year (from 1,723 to 1,800 crimes). Please note that the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 came into effect on 1 April 2019. As such the year ending December 2019 figures reflect only nine months of activity, with subsequent years covering a full 12 months.
• Other non-sexual violence increased by 9% compared to the previous year (from 3,610 to 3,945 crimes), and increased by 40% from the year ending December 2018 (from 2,819 to 3,945 crimes).

Sexual crimes

The number of Sexual crimes in the year ending December 2022:

• were <1% (or 42 crimes) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 14,598 to 14,640 crimes), and
• were 10% (or 1,305 crimes) higher compared to the year ending December 2018 (increasing from 13,335 to 14,640 crimes).

Within this:

• Rape and attempted rape increased by 2% compared to the previous year (from 2,481 to 2,530 crimes), and increased by 8% from the year ending December 2018 (from 2,351 to 2,530 crimes).
• Sexual assault increased by 4% compared to the previous year (from 5,053 to 5,277 crimes), and increased by 1% from the year ending December 2018 (from 5,243 to 5,277 crimes).
• Causing to view sexual activity or images decreased by 6% compared to the previous year (from 2,222 to 2,089 crimes), but increased by 11% from the year ending December 2018 (from 1,889 to 2,089 crimes).
• Communicating indecently decreased by 7% compared to the previous year (from 1,615 to 1,494 crimes), but increased by 12% from the year ending December 2018 (from 1,335 to 1,494 crimes).
• Threatening to or disclosing intimate images decreased by <1% compared to the previous year (from 858 to 857 crimes), but increased by 51% from the year ending December 2018 (from 566 to 857 crimes).
• Indecent photos of children increased by 21% compared to the previous year (from 646 to 783 crimes), and increased by 51% from the year ending December 2018 (from 517 to 783 crimes).
• Crimes associated with prostitution decreased by 24% compared to the previous year (from 80 to 61 crimes), and decreased by 65% from the year ending December 2018 (from 175 to 61 crimes).
• Other sexual crimes decreased by 6% compared to the previous year (from 1,643 to 1,549 crimes), but increased by 23% from the year ending December 2018 (from 1,259 to 1,549 crimes).

Crimes of dishonesty

The number of Crimes of dishonesty in the year ending December 2022:

• were 12% (or 10,866 crimes) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 89,888 to 100,754 crimes), but
• were 10% (or 10,776 crimes) lower compared to the year ending December 2018 (decreasing from 111,530 to 100,754 crimes).

Within this:

• Housebreaking increased by 2% compared to the previous year (from 8,371 to 8,537 crimes), but decreased by 38% from the year ending December 2018 (from 13,749 to 8,537 crimes).
• Theft by opening lockfast places increased by 8% compared to the previous year (from 1,180 to 1,279 crimes), but decreased by 26% from the year ending December 2018 (from 1,729 to 1,279 crimes).
• Theft from a motor vehicle increased by 9% compared to the previous year (from 1,880 to 2,040 crimes), but decreased by 44% from the year ending December 2018 (from 3,663 to 2,040 crimes).
• Theft of motor vehicle increased by 17% compared to the previous year (from 4,240 to 4,975 crimes), and increased by 3% from the year ending December 2018 (from 4,817 to 4,975 crimes).
• Shoplifting increased by 26% compared to the previous year (from 21,234 to 26,835 crimes), but decreased by 18% from the year ending December 2018 (from 32,722 to 26,835 crimes).
• Other theft increased by 13% compared to the previous year (from 32,288 to 36,488 crimes), but decreased by 13% from the year ending December 2018 (from 41,792 to 36,488 crimes).
• Fraud increased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 16,611 to 17,126 crimes), and increased by 97% from the year ending December 2018 (from 8,702 to 17,126 crimes). Further explanation on the changes in levels of recorded fraud are available in the Recorded Crime in Scotland annual bulletin.
• Other dishonesty decreased by 15% compared to the previous year (from 4,084 to 3,474 crimes), and decreased by 20% from the year ending December 2018 (from 4,356 to 3,474 crimes).

Damage and reckless behaviour

The number of Damage and reckless behaviour crimes in the year ending December 2022:

• were 1% (or 283 crimes) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 43,428 to 43,711 crimes), but
• were 10% (or 4,687 crimes) lower compared to the year ending December 2018 (decreasing from 48,398 to 43,711 crimes).

Within this:

• Fire-raising increased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 2,594 to 2,659 crimes), and increased by 12% from the year ending December 2018 (from 2,367 to 2,659 crimes).
• Vandalism increased by 1% compared to the previous year (from 37,435 to 37,866 crimes), but decreased by 13% from the year ending December 2018 (from 43,639 to 37,866 crimes).
• Reckless conduct decreased by 6% compared to the previous year (from 3,399 to 3,186 crimes), but increased by 33% from the year ending December 2018 (from 2,392 to 3,186 crimes).

Crimes against society

The number of Crimes against society in the year ending December 2022:

• were 5% (or 3,382 crimes) lower compared to the previous year (decreasing from 62,824 to 59,442 crimes), but
• were 1% (or 335 crimes) higher compared to the year ending December 2018 (increasing from 59,107 to 59,442 crimes).

Within this:

• Crimes against public justice increased by <1% compared to the previous year (from 23,170 to 23,196 crimes), and increased by 30% from the year ending December 2018 (from 17,844 to 23,196 crimes).
• Weapons possession (not used) decreased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 4,138 to 4,016 crimes), but increased by 2% from the year ending December 2018 (from 3,951 to 4,016 crimes).
• Weapons possession (used) decreased by 1% compared to the previous year (from 5,650 to 5,586 crimes), but increased by 23% from the year ending December 2018 (from 4,554 to 5,586 crimes).
• Drugs - Supply decreased by 8% compared to the previous year (from 4,304 to 3,960 crimes), and decreased by 17% from the year ending December 2018 (from 4,753 to 3,960 crimes).
• Drugs - Possession decreased by 12% compared to the previous year (from 25,401 to 22,448 crimes), and decreased by 19% from the year ending December 2018 (from 27,828 to 22,448 crimes).
• Other crimes against society increased by 47% compared to the previous year (from 161 to 236 crimes), and increased by 33% from the year ending December 2018 (from 177 to 236 crimes).

Coronavirus restrictions

The number of Coronavirus restrictions crimes in the year ending December 2022:

• were 100% (or 15,634 crimes) lower compared to the previous year (decreasing from 15,648 to 14 crimes).

The Coronavirus Act 2020 and Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 were implemented on 25 March and 27 March 2020, respectively. As such the year ending December 2020 figures reflect only a little over nine months of activity.