Justice and safer communities statistics: monthly data report summary - October 2024

Crime in General

Summary statistics on crime in general

Police recorded crime is up 3% since year ending June 2023, though remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic. The total number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending June 2024 was 300,070. This was 7,368 crimes (or 3%) higher than the level recorded in the year ending June 2023.

Crime has fallen by 53% since 2008-09. Results from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) show that around one in ten adults were victims of crime in 2021-22 (10.0%), down from 11.9% in 2019-20. This compares to one in five in 2008-09 (20.4%). The estimated number of crimes fell by 53% since 2008-09, and by 18% since 2017-18.

Recorded violent crime increased in the most recent year. Non-sexual crimes of violence recorded by the police increased by 2%, from 70,136 in year ending June 2023 to 71,341 in year ending June 2024. Common assault (up 1%) made up the clear majority (83%) of all non-sexual crimes of violence recorded in the year ending June 2024. The SCJS showed the volume of violent crime fell by nearly three-fifths (58%) between 2008-09 and 2021-22 and that an estimated 34% of violent crime in 2021-22 was reported to the police.

Recorded sexual crimes decreased in the most recent year. Sexual crimes decreased by 3%, from 14,834 in the year ending June 2023 to 14,417 in the year ending June 2024. However, sexual crimes have been increasing in the long term. Multiple factors lie behind the long term increase in recorded sexual crime including a greater willingness of victims to come forward, more historical reporting, more online offending and the impact of new legislation. The SCJS for 2018-20 (2018-19 & 2019-20 combined) estimated that 3.6% of adults experienced at least one serious sexual assault since the age of 16, unchanged from 2008-09.

Women more likely to experience partner abuse. The SCJS, for 2018-20, estimated that 3.2% of respondents had experienced partner abuse in the year prior to interview. A higher proportion of women than men experienced this, at 3.7% and 2.6% respectively.

Increase in crime clear up rate. The clear up rate for all recorded crimes was 54.1% in 2023-24, up from 53.3% in 2022-23. Crimes against society (91.4%), non-sexual crimes of violence (68%) and sexual crimes (57.2%) continued to have higher clear up rates in 2023-24 than crimes of dishonesty (33.1%) and damage and reckless behaviour (29.6%).

Number of victims of homicide at record low. There were 52 homicide victims recorded by the police in Scotland in 2022-23, a 16% decrease from 2013-14 and the lowest value since comparable records began in 1976.

Decrease in recorded domestic abuse incidents. There were 61,934 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in 2022-23, a decrease of 4% on 2021-22. In 2022-23, 39% of all incidents recorded by the police included the recording of at least one crime or offence.

Large decrease in firearm offences. Between 2020-21 and 2021-22, the number of crimes and offences in which a firearm was alleged to have been involved decreased by 23% (from 353 to 273 offences). The 2021-22 figure is the lowest recorded level since comparable records began in 1980.