Recorded Crime in Scotland: year ending December 2024

Key points

The police in Scotland recorded 298,308 crimes in the year ending December 2024. This was 1% lower than the 302,076 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2023, but 1% higher than the 296,263 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2020.

It should be noted that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and associated measures to limit social contact, has had an impact on both the type and volume of crime recorded since March 2020. The impact was seen during the years ending December 2020 and 2021. The final legal restrictions were lifted in April 2022, meaning the most recent years (those ending December 2023 and December 2024) were not impacted by these restrictions.

In the year ending December 2024:

• Non-sexual crimes of violence were 2% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 71,900 to 70,637 crimes), but 10% higher compared to the year ending December 2020 (increasing from 63,938 to 70,637 crimes).
• Sexual crimes were 2% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 14,894 to 14,539 crimes), but 11% higher compared to the year ending December 2020 (increasing from 13,106 to 14,539 crimes).
• Crimes of dishonesty were <1% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 111,682 to 111,265 crimes), but 16% higher compared to the year ending December 2020 (increasing from 96,286 to 111,265 crimes).
• Damage and reckless behaviour was 7% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 42,124 to 39,249 crimes), and 12% lower compared to the year ending December 2020 (decreasing from 44,419 to 39,249 crimes).
• Crimes against society were 2% higher compared to the year ending December 2023 (increasing from 61,476 to 62,618 crimes), but 10% lower compared to the year ending December 2020 (decreasing from 69,241 to 62,618 crimes).

The number of offences recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending December 2024 was 177,172. This is 1% lower than the 179,616 offences recorded in the year ending December 2023, and 6% lower than the 187,752 offences recorded in the year ending December 2020.

• Antisocial offences were 1% higher compared to the year ending December 2023 (increasing from 47,941 to 48,322 offences), but 18% lower compared to the year ending December 2020 (decreasing from 58,673 to 48,322 offences).
• Miscellaneous offences were 1% higher compared to the year ending December 2023 (increasing from 13,631 to 13,821 offences), and 6% higher compared to the year ending December 2020 (increasing from 13,091 to 13,821 offences).
• Road traffic offences were 3% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 118,044 to 115,029 offences), and 1% lower compared to the year ending December 2020 (decreasing from 115,988 to 115,029 offences).