Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2021-22

5 Remand Index (alleged) Offences

The remand population comprises individuals who are untried and those who are convicted awaiting sentence (CAS).^[22] As discussed in section 1.2 of this report, the remand population continued to grow in 2021-22, increasing from 1,634 in 2020-21 to 1,862 in 2021-22.

This section provides the breakdown of the average daily population on remand by index (alleged) offence group, followed by a further breakdown of those groups into index (alleged) offence categories. Detail of the method for deriving index (alleged) offence is provided in the technical manual.^[23]

5.1 Remand index (alleged) offence groups

[Supplementary tables M2]

While the overall (average daily) remand population rose by 14% between 2020-21 to 2021-22, this rise is not observed across all the index (alleged) offence^[24] groups within the remand population (see Figure 15).

There were continued increases in the remand population accused of index Group 1 (Violence) between 2020-21 and 2021-22. This population increased by 9% from around 911 to 989. This group comprised 53% of the remand population.

The population accused of index Group 5 (Crimes against society) also increased from 288 to 386 (+34%), remaining the second largest population group at 21% of those held on remand on the average day in 2021-22.

The remand population accused of index Group 2 (Sexual) offences increased, rising 23% from around 170 in 2020-21 to 209 in 2021-22.

The remand populations accused of index offences in Group 3 (Dishonesty), group 4 (Damage and reckless behaviour), and Groups 6 through 8 remained broadly stable between 2020-21 and 2021-22.

5.2 Index (alleged) offence categories

[Supplementary tables M2]

This section provides a breakdown of the remand population into categories of index (alleged) offence^[25].

5.2.1 Group 1 – Non-sexual crimes of violence

Among the (average daily) population held on remand for Group 1 (Violent) offences in 2021-22, the largest index offence category was `Serious assault and attempted murder’. This index offence category made up 20% of the (average daily) population on remand overall, and 37% of those in Group 1. The remand population with this index offence is largely unchanged from 2020-21, at 367 on the average day.

The second largest index offence category by population in Group 1 were those remanded for ‘Common assault’. This group grew 19% from 301 in 2020-21 to 359 in 2021-22 and made up 19% of the average day remand population overall.

The population remanded for the index offence of ‘Robbery’ fell 9% over the same period, from 130 to 180. The population remanded for ‘Murder and culpable homicide’ increased from 50 on the average day in 2020-21 to 58 in 2021-22.

Relatively large proportionate increases were observed in the small populations remanded for ‘Domestic Abuse’ and 'Other non-sexual violence’, which increased to 54 and 31 respectively on the average day in 2021-22.

5.2.2 Group 2 – Sexual offences

Among Group 2 (Sexual) offences, the largest index offence category is ‘Rape & attempted rape’ at 61% of the Group 2 remand population on the average day in 2021-22 and 7% of the remand population overall. The population with alleged offences in this category increased from 113 in 2020-21 to 128 in 2021-22, which was the largest absolute change across the Group 2 index offences.

‘Sexual assault’ was the second largest index offence category in the group, and saw an increased average day population on remand from 24 in 2020-21 to 34 in 2021-22.

Small absolute increases were observed in the small average day populations remanded for the index offences 'Causing to view sexual activity or images’, 'Communicating indecently’, 'Indecent photos of children’ and ‘Threatening to or disclosing intimate images’ between 2020-21 and 2021-22.

5.2.3 Group 5 – Crimes against society

The 34% annual increase in the (average daily) remand population accused of Group 5 offences was driven by a 63% rise in the population accused of ‘Drugs – supply’ offences (from 84 to 138) and a 24% rise in ‘Crimes against public justice’ (118 to 146). There was also a 17% increase in the population accused of ‘Weapons possession (not used)’ offences (83 to 97).

5.2.4 Other offence categories

The remaining offence categories (those in groups 3,4,6,7 and 8) were broadly unchanged from 2020-21. Further information on these categories is contained in the supplementary table (M2) or through the Interactive Analysis Tool (see page 10).