Scottish Crime and Justice Survey: consultation analysis

2. The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS)

The SCJS is a large-scale social survey which asks people about their experiences and perceptions of crime in Scotland. Over the years, the SCJS has asked over ninety thousand people about their views and experiences of crime and justice in Scotland. It has found a 46% fall in crime between 2008/09 and 2019/20 and improvements in people's feelings of safety. Importantly, it has also identified varying levels of both crime victimisation and feelings of safety amongst different groups in society.

The SCJS is a key source of evidence on crime victimisation in Scotland, as well as issues relating to policing and the criminal justice system. It is used extensively by the Scottish Government to inform the design and effective delivery of policy as well as by academic stakeholders and justice organisations. The SCJS and Police Recorded Crime statistics are essential complementary sources of data that, together, present a fuller picture of crime in Scotland. The SCJS captures crime that does not come to the attention of the police, and helps validate the police recorded crime data and ensure crime and justice policy is based upon a comprehensive understanding of the victimisation rate in Scotland.