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Publication - Statistics

Criminal Proceedings in Scotland: 2023-2024

Published
9 December 2025
Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate, +1 more … Justice Directorate
Topic
Law and order, Public safety and emergencies

Statistics on criminal proceedings in Scottish courts and alternative measures to prosecution, 2014-2015 to 2023-2024.

Part of

Supporting documents

This bulletin forms part of the Scottish Government series of statistical bulletins on the criminal justice system. Statistics are presented on criminal proceedings concluded in Scottish courts and on a range of measures available as alternatives to prosecution, which are issued by the police and by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Detailed figures for 2023-24 are presented, along with selected trends for the 10-year span from 2014-15 to 2023-24. In addition, 2023-24 marks the introduction of a new section spotlighting a specific part of the statistics. Our chosen topic for this year is: what has driven the long-term rise in average custodial sentence length?

Overall, these figures continue to demonstrate the recovery of the justice system following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the total number of people prosecuted in Scottish courts saw a reduction in 2023-24, this masks an increase in many of the more serious offences. These will generally be more complex and take longer to conclude in court. As the data continues to be affected by the pandemic and the justice system’s recovery, figures from 2020-21 onwards should not be considered indicative of longer-term trends.

A six-panel infographic summarising some of the key statistics from Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2023-24. The first panel is a line chart showing the number of people convicted in Scottish courts fell 7% between 2022-23 and 2023-24. It specifically shows that across the most recent ten-years the number of convicted people fell from 106,572 in 2014-15 to 67,966 in 2022-23, then 63,486 in 2023-24. A note also reminds us that data from 2020-21 onwards were affected by the pandemic and should not be considered indicative of longer-term trends. The second panel is a stacked bar chart showing that two-fifths of all sentences in 2023-24 were financial penalties. Specifically, financial penalties made up 40% of sentences, community sentences made up 25%, other sentences made up 20% and custody made up 16%. The third panel is a line chart showing that since 2014-15, the average length of a custodial sentence has increased by 37%. Specifically, average custodial sentence length has risen from 286 days in 2014-15 to 393 days in 2023-24. The fourth panel is a simplified bubble chart showing that the changes in average custodial sentence length correspond to fewer short-term sentences. Specifically, between 2014-15 and 2023-24 the proportion of sentence of 12 months or less fell from 82% to 73%, whilst those over 12 months rose from 18% to 27%. The fifth panel is a stacked bar chart showing that over three-quarters of police disposals in 2023-24 were Recorded Police Warnings. Specifically, Recorded Police Warnings made up 77% of police disposals, Anti-Social Behaviour Fixed Penalty Notices made up 14% and Early and Effective Interventions made up 9%. The sixth panel is a stacked bar chart showing that almost three-quarters of COPFS disposals in 2023-24 were Fiscal Fines and Fixed Penalties. Specifically, Fiscal Fixed Penalties made up 41% of COPFS disposals, Fiscal Fines made up 31%, Fiscal Combined Fine Plus Compensations made up 16%, Fiscal Warnings made up 9% and Fiscal Compensations made up 3%.

 

 

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