Crime in Scotland at lowest levels in 50 years, but increase in rape offences

The overall number of crimes recorded by Police Scotland officers for the year ending June 2023 was four per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels in June 2019 and is at one of the lowest levels seen for a 12-month period since 1974.

This included falls in sexual crimes and violence.

However, while sexual crimes were one per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2022 (decreasing from 14,880 to 14,834 crimes), they were eight per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2019 – up from 13,678 to 14,834 crimes. This included a five per cent increase in rape and attempted rape.

Although there were falls in the number of sexual assaults and crimes associated with prostitution, there was a significant increase in the number of crimes involving indecent images of children, up from 683 to 795 crimes, a jump of 16 per cent. This is an increase of 50 per cent from the year ending June 2019.

Fraud surged by 82 per cent from the year ending June 2019, from 9,310 to 16,956 crimes, while murder and culpable homicide increased by eight per cent compared with the previous year (from 50 to 54 crimes), although this was a fall of 27 per cent from the year ending June 2019.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance said: “The safety and security of the public is my top priority, and these statistics show Scotland continues to be a safe place to live.

“These continued low levels of crime are due to the efforts across policing, justice and community safety partners to deliver safer communities and our investment in the justice system.

“With recorded crime remaining at one of the lowest levels seen since 1974, the latest figures show reductions in crimes such as violence, sexual crimes and damage and reckless behaviour.

“We will continue to focus on crime prevention, reducing reoffending and supporting victims of crime. That is why we are investing £1.45 billion in policing in 2023/24, increasing the resource budget by 6.3 per cent, an additional £80 million, despite difficult financial circumstances due to UK Government austerity and our fixed budget.”

Police Scotland recorded 292,702 crimes in the year ending June 2023. This was two per cent higher than the 285,974 recorded in the year ending June 2022, but but four lower than the 305,300 crimes recorded in the year ending June 2019.

The Chief Statistician cautioned that the Coronavirus pandemic, and associated measures to limit social contact, has “had an impact on both the type and volume of crime recorded since March 2020”. The largest impact was seen during year ending June 2021, and to a lesser extent the years ending June 2020 and 2022.

The final legal restrictions were lifted in April 2022, meaning the most recent 12 months (year ending June 2023) was not impacted by these restrictions.

Non-sexual crimes of violence were one per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2022 – down from 70,156 to 70,136 – but four per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2019 – increasing from 67,407 to 70,136 crimes.

Although crimes of dishonesty were seven per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2022 (from 97,207 to 104,495 crimes), this was seven per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2019 – down from 112,796 to 104,495.

Damage and reckless behaviour offences were three per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2022 (decreasing from 44,455 to 42,932 crimes), and 11 per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2019 (down from 48,176 to 42,932 crimes).

Crimes against society were 2% higher compared to the year ending June 2022 (increasing from 59,180 to 60,305 crimes), but 5% lower compared to the year ending June 2019 (decreasing from 63,243 to 60,305 crimes).

Coronavirus restrictions were 100% lower compared to the year ending June 2022 (decreasing from 96 to 0). As noted above, the legislation used to record these crimes was introduced in March 2020.

The number of ‘offences’ recorded by Police Scotland in the year ending June 2023 was 172,923. This is two per cent lower than the 176,960 offences recorded in the year ending June 2022, and eight per cent lower than the 187,965 recorded in the year ending June 2019.

Anti-social offences were down 11 per cent compared with the previous 12 months (decreasing from 55,018 to 49,012 offences), and 18 per cent lower than the year ending June 2019.

Miscellaneous offences were one per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2022 (increasing from 12,815 to 12,986), and 19 per cent higher than the year ending June 2019.

Road traffic offences were up by two per cent compared with the previous 12 months (increasing from 109,127 to 110,925), but five per cent lower than the year ending June 2019.