Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services data report- February 2021

Summary

This pack provides information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Justice system during February 2021. Data has been gathered from a number of different sources and may be subject to future revision.

Public compliance

This pack includes information on COVID-19 related interventions undertaken by Police Scotland. In addition to this, information on the public’s compliance with measures to help restrict the spread of COVID-19 is collected from surveys of the population. Findings from these surveys can be found in the Public attitudes to Coronavirus: January Update.

Claimed compliance was high in November and December.

Police activity

• Recorded crime was 7% lower over April 2020 to February 2021 compared to the preceding year.
• The number of incidents remain below 2019-20 levels.
• Domestic abuse incidents were 3% higher in April 2020 to February 2021 compared to the preceding year.
• Coronavirus interventions decreased by 10% between January and February 2021.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Courts & Prisons

• To reduce footfall in lockdown, the majority of summary business was adjourned on 12th January.
• Community disposals were returning to 19-20 levels but there remains a backlog of cases (and associated disposals) to conclude.
• Initiations and disposals in the civil court remain below 19-20 levels.
• Prison populations initially decreased as court business abated.
• The number of prisoners on remand subsequently rose to its current, historically high, level.