Recorded crimes in Scotland up by 8,000 in past 12 months
The number of recorded crimes in Scotland has risen by 8,000 over the past year.
Figures released by Scotland’s Chief Statistician show police in Scotland recorded 300,070 crimes in the year ending June 2024.
This was three per cent higher than the 292,702 crimes recorded in the previous year, and similar to the 300,333 crimes recorded in the year ending June 2020.
However, the Chief Statistician Ally McAlpine noted that the Covid-19 pandemic, and associated measures to limit social contact, had an impact on both the type and volume of crime recorded since March 2020.
“The largest impact was seen during the year ending June 2021, and to a lesser extent the years ending June 2020 and June 2022. The final legal restrictions were lifted in April 2022, meaning the most recent years (years ending June 2023 and June 2024) were not impacted by these restrictions,” he said.
Non-sexual crimes of violence were two per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2023 (increasing from 70,136 to 71,341 crimes), and nine per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2020 (increasing from 65,228 to 71,341 crimes), according to the latest data.
Sexual crimes were three per cent lower than the previous year, down from 14,834 to 14,417, but 12 per cent higher than the 12,822 crimes in the year ending June 2020.
Crimes of dishonesty were eight per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2023 (increasing from 104,495 to 112,384), and seven per cent higher compared with the year ending June 2020 (104,933 crimes).
Damage and reckless behaviour fell by six per cent, from 42,932 to 40,285 crimes, which was 12 per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2020 (45,814 crimes).
Crimes against society rose by two per cent compared with the year ending June 2023 (up from 60,305 to 61,643), but eight per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2020 (66,843 crimes).
The number of offences recorded by Police Scotland in the year ending June 2024 was 177,849. This is three per cent higher than the previous year (172,923) but five per cent lower than the 187,790 offences recorded in the year ending June 2020.
Anti-social offences were one per cent lower compared with the year ending June 2023 (down from 49,033 to 48,565), and 18 per cent lower than the 59,514 offences in the year ending June 2020.
Miscellaneous offences were eight per cent higher, up from 12,965 to 14,011, and 17 per cent higher than the year ending June 2020 (12,015 offences).
Road traffic offences were up by four per cent compared with the year ending June 2023 (increasing from 110,925 to 115,273), but one per cent lower than the 116,261 offences in the year ending June 2020.