Statistical bulletin - Crime and Justice series: Prison statistics Scotland 2010-11

1. Introduction

1. This bulletin is part of a series on the criminal justice system, and shows data up to 2010-11 on Scottish prison population level and characteristics, receptions to/liberations from Scottish prisons, and international comparisons.

Chart 1 Average daily prison population (Scotland): 1900 to 2010-11

2. The average daily population for 2010-11 shows a small dip of 1 per cent compared to the previous year, dropping to 7,853. The recent figures suggest that the rate of change is currently slowing down to some extent, after the sustained increases observed in the prison population since 2000-01. However, it is still too early to tell whether this represents the beginning of a longer term levelling out of the prison population.

3. This dip is primarily due to marked drops in the young offender population for both remand and direct sentenced prisoners by 14 and 17 per cent respectively.