Recorded Crime in Scotland: year ending September 2024

Main findings

Figure 1. Trends in recorded crimes and offences over the last five years have varied by crime group

Crimes and offences recorded by Police Scotland, by crime group, year ending September 2020 to 2024

Crimes recorded by the police

In the year ending September 2024, the police recorded 300,134 crimes. This was 1% (or 2,709 crimes) higher than the 297,425 crimes recorded in the previous year, and 1% higher than the 296,958 crimes recorded in the year ending September 2020.

Non-sexual crimes of violence

The number of Non-sexual crimes of violence in the year ending September 2024:

• were 1% (or 569 crimes) lower compared to the previous year (decreasing from 71,571 to 71,002 crimes), and
• were 9% (or 5,664 crimes) higher compared to the year ending September 2020 (increasing from 65,338 to 71,002 crimes).

Within this:

• Murder and culpable homicide decreased by 11% compared to the previous year (from 54 to 48 crimes), and decreased by 23% from the year ending September 2020 (from 62 to 48 crimes).
• Death by dangerous driving decreased by 15% compared to the previous year (from 55 to 47 crimes), and decreased by 4% from the year ending September 2020 (from 49 to 47 crimes).
• Serious assault and attempted murder decreased by 5% compared to the previous year (from 3,539 to 3,361 crimes), and decreased by 12% from the year ending September 2020 (from 3,811 to 3,361 crimes).
• Common assault decreased by 1% compared to the previous year (from 59,413 to 59,092 crimes), but increased by 7% from the year ending September 2020 (from 55,415 to 59,092 crimes).
• Robbery increased by 1% compared to the previous year (from 1,877 to 1,894 crimes), and increased by 8% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,753 to 1,894 crimes).
• Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 crimes increased by 25% compared to the previous year (from 1,845 to 2,313 crimes), and increased by 44% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,603 to 2,313 crimes). Please note that the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 came into effect on 1 April 2019.
• Other non-sexual violence decreased by 11% compared to the previous year (from 4,788 to 4,247 crimes), but increased by 61% from the year ending September 2020 (from 2,645 to 4,247 crimes).

Sexual crimes

The number of Sexual crimes in the year ending September 2024:

• were <1% (or 53 crimes) lower compared to the previous year (decreasing from 14,704 to 14,651 crimes), and
• were 12% (or 1,523 crimes) higher compared to the year ending September 2020 (increasing from 13,128 to 14,651 crimes).

Within this:

• Rape and attempted rape increased by 10% compared to the previous year (from 2,501 to 2,746 crimes), and increased by 20% from the year ending September 2020 (from 2,284 to 2,746 crimes).
• Sexual assault decreased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 5,159 to 4,991 crimes), but increased by 12% from the year ending September 2020 (from 4,471 to 4,991 crimes).
• Causing to view sexual activity or images increased by 1% compared to the previous year (from 2,183 to 2,207 crimes), and increased by 6% from the year ending September 2020 (from 2,075 to 2,207 crimes).
• Communicating indecently decreased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 1,569 to 1,522 crimes), and decreased by 3% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,569 to 1,522 crimes).
• Threatening to or disclosing intimate images decreased by 8% compared to the previous year (from 819 to 753 crimes), but increased by 17% from the year ending September 2020 (from 645 to 753 crimes).
• Indecent photos of children decreased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 777 to 756 crimes), but increased by 15% from the year ending September 2020 (from 657 to 756 crimes).
• Crimes associated with prostitution increased by 17% compared to the previous year (from 72 to 84 crimes), and increased by 22% from the year ending September 2020 (from 69 to 84 crimes).
• Other sexual crimes decreased by 2% compared to the previous year (from 1,624 to 1,592 crimes), but increased by 17% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,358 to 1,592 crimes).

Crimes of dishonesty

The number of Crimes of dishonesty in the year ending September 2024:

• were 4% (or 4,171 crimes) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 108,153 to 112,324 crimes), and
• were 12% (or 12,412 crimes) higher compared to the year ending September 2020 (increasing from 99,912 to 112,324 crimes).

Within this:

• Housebreaking decreased by 10% compared to the previous year (from 9,126 to 8,224 crimes), and decreased by 30% from the year ending September 2020 (from 11,763 to 8,224 crimes).
• Theft by opening lockfast places increased by 17% compared to the previous year (from 1,286 to 1,505 crimes), and increased by 3% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,463 to 1,505 crimes).
• Theft from a motor vehicle decreased by 9% compared to the previous year (from 2,287 to 2,079 crimes), and decreased by 24% from the year ending September 2020 (from 2,733 to 2,079 crimes).
• Theft of a motor vehicle decreased by 10% compared to the previous year (from 5,438 to 4,904 crimes), but increased by 4% from the year ending September 2020 (from 4,694 to 4,904 crimes).
• Shoplifting increased by 25% compared to the previous year (from 33,789 to 42,271 crimes), and increased by 70% from the year ending September 2020 (from 24,861 to 42,271 crimes).
• Other theft decreased by 6% compared to the previous year (from 35,878 to 33,634 crimes), and decreased by 7% from the year ending September 2020 (from 36,114 to 33,634 crimes).
• Fraud decreased by 5% compared to the previous year (from 16,791 to 15,915 crimes), but increased by 19% from the year ending September 2020 (from 13,358 to 15,915 crimes). Further explanation on the changes in levels of recorded fraud are available in the Recorded Crime in Scotland annual bulletin.
• Other dishonesty increased by 7% compared to the previous year (from 3,558 to 3,792 crimes), but decreased by 23% from the year ending September 2020 (from 4,926 to 3,792 crimes).

Damage and reckless behaviour

The number of Damage and reckless behaviour crimes in the year ending September 2024:

• were 5% (or 2,086 crimes) lower compared to the previous year (decreasing from 42,097 to 40,011 crimes), and
• were 12% (or 5,388 crimes) lower compared to the year ending September 2020 (decreasing from 45,399 to 40,011 crimes).

Within this:

• Fire-raising decreased by 7% compared to the previous year (from 2,652 to 2,468 crimes), and decreased by 4% from the year ending September 2020 (from 2,564 to 2,468 crimes).
• Vandalism decreased by 5% compared to the previous year (from 36,221 to 34,569 crimes), and decreased by 14% from the year ending September 2020 (from 40,179 to 34,569 crimes).
• Reckless conduct decreased by 8% compared to the previous year (from 3,224 to 2,974 crimes), but increased by 12% from the year ending September 2020 (from 2,656 to 2,974 crimes).

Crimes against society

The number of Crimes against society in the year ending September 2024:

• were 2% (or 1,246 crimes) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 60,900 to 62,146 crimes), and
• were 9% (or 5,997 crimes) lower compared to the year ending September 2020 (decreasing from 68,143 to 62,146 crimes).

Within this:

• Crimes against public justice increased by 11% compared to the previous year (from 23,766 to 26,372 crimes), and increased by 16% from the year ending September 2020 (from 22,687 to 26,372 crimes).
• Weapons possession (not used) increased by 2% compared to the previous year (from 4,528 to 4,619 crimes), but decreased by 2% from the year ending September 2020 (from 4,696 to 4,619 crimes).
• Weapons possession (used) increased by 5% compared to the previous year (from 6,051 to 6,338 crimes), and increased by 12% from the year ending September 2020 (from 5,638 to 6,338 crimes).
• Drugs - Supply increased by 6% compared to the previous year (from 4,150 to 4,392 crimes), but decreased by 9% from the year ending September 2020 (from 4,818 to 4,392 crimes).
• Drugs - Possession decreased by 9% compared to the previous year (from 22,144 to 20,122 crimes), and decreased by 33% from the year ending September 2020 (from 30,117 to 20,122 crimes).
• Other crimes against society increased by 16% compared to the previous year (from 261 to 303 crimes), and increased by 62% from the year ending September 2020 (from 187 to 303 crimes).

Offences recorded by the police

In the year ending September 2024, the police recorded 183,640 offences. This was 6% (or 9,878 offences) higher than the 173,762 offences recorded in the previous year, but 2% lower than the 187,806 offences recorded in the year ending September 2020.

Antisocial offences

The number of Antisocial offences in the year ending September 2024:

• were 4% (or 2,079 offences) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 47,530 to 49,609 offences), and
• were 17% (or 10,326 offences) lower compared to the year ending September 2020 (decreasing from 59,935 to 49,609 offences).

Within this:

• Threatening and abusive behaviour increased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 42,573 to 44,059 offences), but decreased by 13% from the year ending September 2020 (from 50,539 to 44,059 offences).
• Hate aggravated conduct increased by 16% compared to the previous year (from 1,567 to 1,815 offences), but decreased by 1% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,839 to 1,815 offences).
• Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct increased by 5% compared to the previous year (from 2,601 to 2,732 offences), but decreased by 54% from the year ending September 2020 (from 5,934 to 2,732 offences).
• Urinating etc. increased by 27% compared to the previous year (from 789 to 1,003 offences), but decreased by 38% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,623 to 1,003 offences).

Miscellaneous offences

The number of Miscellaneous offences in the year ending September 2024:

• were 9% (or 1,125 offences) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 13,075 to 14,200 offences), and
• were 12% (or 1,566 offences) higher compared to the year ending September 2020 (increasing from 12,634 to 14,200 offences).

Within this:

• Community and public order offences increased by 11% compared to the previous year (from 9,182 to 10,164 offences), and increased by 19% from the year ending September 2020 (from 8,517 to 10,164 offences).
• Environmental offences increased by 16% compared to the previous year (from 427 to 496 offences), but decreased by 37% from the year ending September 2020 (from 790 to 496 offences).
• Licensing offences increased by 7% compared to the previous year (from 809 to 865 offences), but decreased by 19% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,069 to 865 offences).
• Wildlife offences increased by 3% compared to the previous year (from 1,483 to 1,522 offences), and increased by 7% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,426 to 1,522 offences).
• Other miscellaneous offences decreased by 2% compared to the previous year (from 1,174 to 1,153 offences), but increased by 39% from the year ending September 2020 (from 832 to 1,153 offences).

Road traffic offences

The number of Road traffic offences in the year ending September 2024:

• were 6% (or 6,674 offences) higher compared to the previous year (increasing from 113,157 to 119,831 offences), and
• were 4% (or 4,594 offences) higher compared to the year ending September 2020 (increasing from 115,237 to 119,831 offences).

Within this:

• Dangerous and careless driving increased by 4% compared to the previous year (from 12,813 to 13,283 offences), and increased by 13% from the year ending September 2020 (from 11,796 to 13,283 offences).
• Driving under the influence increased by 8% compared to the previous year (from 7,959 to 8,561 offences), and increased by 6% from the year ending September 2020 (from 8,047 to 8,561 offences).
• Speeding decreased by 7% compared to the previous year (from 20,046 to 18,548 offences), and decreased by 22% from the year ending September 2020 (from 23,650 to 18,548 offences).
• Unlawful use of vehicle increased by 7% compared to the previous year (from 35,971 to 38,313 offences), but decreased by 4% from the year ending September 2020 (from 39,930 to 38,313 offences).
• Vehicle defect offences increased by 19% compared to the previous year (from 6,242 to 7,459 offences), and increased by 11% from the year ending September 2020 (from 6,737 to 7,459 offences).
• Seat belt offences increased by 11% compared to the previous year (from 2,095 to 2,334 offences), and increased by 27% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,835 to 2,334 offences).
• Mobile phone offences increased by 29% compared to the previous year (from 3,061 to 3,953 offences), and increased by 124% from the year ending September 2020 (from 1,764 to 3,953 offences).
• Other road traffic offences increased by 10% compared to the previous year (from 24,970 to 27,380 offences), and increased by 27% from the year ending September 2020 (from 21,478 to 27,380 offences).

Local Authorities

Between the year ending September 2020 and the year ending September 2024, of the 32 Local Authorities, 16 saw an increase in recorded crime, one saw very little (less than half a percentage) change, and 15 saw a decrease in recorded crime.

Between the year ending September 2023 and the year ending September 2024, of the 32 Local Authorities, 13 Local Authorities saw an increase in recorded crime, two saw very little (less than half a percentage) change, and 17 saw a decrease in recorded crime.