Key Findings

Prison Populations

The average daily prison population in Scotland was 7,860 in 2023-24. This is an increase of almost 6% from 2022-23, and is primarily driven by an increase in the sentenced population (+8%).

In the average daily sentenced population (6,017 in 2023-24), there were increases in the number serving sentences for index offences in Group 2: Sexual Offences (+12% to 1,392) and Group 3: Crimes of dishonesty (+17% to 344). The group serving sentences for index offences in Group 1 (Non-sexual crimes of violence) increased at a lower rate (+4% to 2,722 in 2023-24), but remained the largest group in the average daily sentenced population, accounting for 45% overall.

In line with previously reported trends, the proportion of the average daily sentenced population serving sentences for index offences in Groups 1 (Non-sexual crimes of violence) and 2 (Sexual crimes) continued to grow in 2023-24, reaching 68% (+1 percentage point from 2022-23).

In the average daily sentenced population there were increases in all determinate index sentence groups in 2023-24.  The largest increases occurred in the groups serving index sentences of 1 year or less (+26% to 1,082) and index sentences of between 4 and less than 10 years (+8% to 1,622).   The share of the sentenced population serving shorter index sentences remains below pre-pandemic levels. In 2019-20, 53% of the sentenced population had index sentences of 4 years or less. In 2023-24 this proportion had fallen to 44%.

The overall average daily remand population remained stable between 2022-23 and 2023-24, falling by just 0.5% to 1,796.  The increase in the average daily sentenced population has meant that the proportion of the overall prison population held on remand on the average day has fallen in 2023-24 (to 23%). 

The alleged index offence profile of the average daily remand population remained broadly similar to the previous reporting year in 2023-24.  Those accused of Group 1 (Non-sexual crimes of violence) index offences comprised 52% of the average daily remand population in 2023-24, while those accused of Group 5 (Crimes against society) and Group 2 (Sexual crimes) index offences comprised 21% and 14% respectively.  This compares to 54%, 21% and 13% in 2022-23.     

The average daily population of women in prison increased by almost 13% in 2023-24 (from 282 in 2022-23 to 318). This is a greater rate of increase than the overall average daily prison population, although women still comprised just 4% of the prison population in 2023-24.

In line with the overall prison population, the increase in the average daily population of women in 2023-24 was driven by an increase in the sentenced population, which increased by 15% from 188 in 2022-23 to 217. The average daily convicted awaiting sentence population of women increased by 8 in 2023-24 to 29 and the average daily untried population of women remained at the same level as 2022-23 at 72. The proportion of women held on remand on the average day in 2023-24 was 32% (-1 percentage point from 2022-23).

For the first time since 2009-10 the average daily population of young people (under 21 years) rose slightly in 2023-24 (from 160 to 168). The increase in the average daily population of young people (under 21 years) in prison in 2023-24 occurred entirely among 18 to 20 year olds (+13 from 2022-23).The average daily population of under-18s in custody actually fell in 2023-24 from 9 in 2022-23 to 5.

The average daily sentenced population of young people (under 21 years) rose in 2023-24, from 76 in 2022-23 to 105 (37%). The average daily untried population of young people fell by around 31% in 2023-24 (from 64 in 2022-23 to 45), while the CAS population remained the same over the reporting period (17 in both 2022-23 and 2023-24).  These shifts lowered the proportion of the average daily population of young people held on remand from 51% in 2022-23 to 36% in 2023-24.  

The number of individuals who spent any time in prison increased by 6% in 2023-24 from 14,531 in 2022-23 to 15,348. Prior to the pandemic there was a long term downward trend in the numbers of individuals experiencing imprisonment, with a steep reduction in 2020-21. While the increase in 2023-24 is greater than in the intervening reporting years, the number of individuals experiencing imprisonment remains 11% below pre-pandemic levels (17,312 in 2019-20).

The average age of individuals experiencing imprisonment continued to rise in 2023-24, reaching 37.8 years. Since 2009-10 the proportion of people experiencing imprisonment aged 50+ has continued to increase, from 6.6% to 15.1% in 2023-24.

The nationality of individuals experiencing imprisonment has been added for this statistical release. British nationals comprise more than 90% of individuals experiencing imprisonment in Scotland in 2023-24. The proportion of individuals who are not British nationals has increased from 5% in 2017-18 to 9% in 2023-24.  In 2023-24, individuals from the European Economic Area comprise the largest non-British national group experiencing imprisonment (607), a consistent pattern since 2010-11.

Prison Flows

Arrivals to prison increased by around 11% in 2023-24 to 11,646. Prior to the pandemic there was a long term downward trend in the number of arrivals to prison. There was a steep decline in arrivals in 2020-21, followed by broad stability in the number of arrivals across 2021-23. While the number of arrivals to prison increased in 2023-24, the number of arrivals remains lower than pre-pandemic levels (14,341 in 2019-20).

The largest increases in arrivals in 2023-24 were in sentenced and convicted awaiting sentence arrivals, (+523 to 2,368 and +374 to 2,237 respectively).  Untried arrivals increased by a smaller amount in 2023-24 (+210 to 6,944) but remained the largest category of arrivals, accounting for 60% overall in 2023-24. This is a lower proportion than in recent reporting years (64% in 2021-22 and 2022-23, 67% in 2020-21), but higher than the pre-pandemic period. Sentenced and convicted awaiting sentence arrivals accounted for 19% and 20% of total arrivals in 2023-24.

There was a 6.5% increase in departures from prison to 11,111 in 2023-24. Both arrivals to and departures from prison were below pre-pandemic levels in 2023-24, but the difference between the two (535) is at its highest level since 2018-19 (when it was 719) leading to a growth in the population.

Median time on remand before departure remained at around 21 days in 2023-24. The longest periods spent on remand had been increasing over time, with a sharp increase during 2020-21. In 2017-18, 90% of remand departures had occurred within 63 days, with the longest 10% of stays before departure taking 64 days or more.  By 2022-23, the longest 10% of stays before departure from remand took 146 days or more. However, in 2023-24, 90% of remand departures occurred within 109 days, with the longest stays before departure taking 110 days or more. While this is a reduction on 2022-23, it remains substantially longer than pre-pandemic.

For those transitioning from the remand population to the sentenced population in 2023-24, the median time on remand reduced from 54 days in 2022-23 to 47 days. The longest 10% of stays before transitioning from remand to sentenced took 278 days or more, a reduction of 11 days from 2022-23. While this is a reduction between 2022-23 and 2023-24, the time to transition from the remand to the sentenced population remains substantially longer than in 2017-18, when the median days to transition was 31 and the longest 10% of stays before transition took 123 days or more.

The overall volume of liberations from remand increased by 6% in 2023-24, from 4,836 in 2022-23 to 5,125. The number of liberations from remand to the court or procurator fiscal continued to increase in 2023-24, up 9% from 3,683 in 2022-23 to 4,031. Transitions to the sentenced population increased by 5% to 4,090 over the same period but bail liberations fell by 7% to 933.

There was a 7% increase in liberations from the sentenced population in 2023-24, from 5,520 in 2022-23 to 5,891.

Statutory Throughcare Orders

Information on sentenced periods in custody with extended sentences and Supervised Release Orders (SROs) have been added to the Scottish Prison Population Statistics data for this edition. These are types of sentence that require a period of supervision and compliance with other conditions in the community following a period in custody[ii]. More information about the data and sequencing of this information is available from our Technical Manual[iii].

In the section Statutory Throughcare Orders we look at the prevalence of sentences with such conditions attached in the population.

Later in this report, in the section Statutory Throughcare Departures, we look at the number of departures into the community and compare it to operational Justice Social Work information compiled by the Scottish Government.[iv]

Other types of statutory throughcare (Parole, Non-Parole and Life Licences) may be partly derived from Sentenced liberations type and index sentences on departure.

An Accredited Official Statistics Publication for Scotland

These statistics are accredited official statistics. The Office for Statistics Regulation has independently reviewed and accredited these statistics as complying with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Compliance with the code of practice for Official Statistics was assessed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in January 2023[v]. A number of required actions were highlighted by the regulator to ensure this source meet the standards for accreditation. These actions were confirmed completed in a letter to the Chief Statistician in April 2023[vi]. The Scottish Government continues to improve and refine this source to ensure its trustworthiness, quality and value.

Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

Scottish Government statistics are regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

More information about Scottish Government statistics is available on the Scottish Government website.