Criminal Proceedings in Scotland: 2023-2024

2. Trends in conviction rates

(Table 4b and 4c)

Conviction rate definition

This publication defines conviction rates as the number of people convicted divided by the number of people proceeded against. Care should be taken when interpreting conviction rates. Whether or not a conviction is secured is dependent on multiple factors, including the strength of evidence and the complexity of the case. All convictions are wholly dependent upon the decision of the court. A high conviction rate could indicate that cases brought to court are evidentially strong or straightforward (for example road traffic offences). It could also indicate that cases which are evidentially weak, for instance lacking sufficient admissible evidence, are not reaching court. It could also indicate a high guilty plea rate, although pleadings are not available in these statistics. Conversely, a low conviction rate could indicate that the highly complex or evidentially difficult cases are brought to court, but the judge or jury is unwilling to accept the evidence provided by the prosecutor and thereafter unable to convict the accused.

High-level summary

In 2023-24:

• 87% of people proceeded against in court were convicted after being found guilty of at least one charge (63,486 people)
• the conviction rate was one percentage point higher than in 2022-23 (86%)
• the highest conviction rates were for Speeding (97%), Other miscellaneous offences (97%) and Driving under the influence (96%)
• the lowest conviction rates were for Coronavirus restrictions (30%), Rape and attempted rape (61%) and Sexual assault (64%)

Change over the 10-year span

Between 2014-15 and 2023-24:

• the conviction rate in Scottish courts has remained relatively stable (excluding the pandemic year of 2020-21) at between 86% and 88%
• the largest increase in conviction rate was for Causing death by dangerous driving, which rose from 72% to 86%
• the largest decrease in the same period was for Other crimes against society, which fell from 92% to 80%

Points to note

The conviction rate for Rape and attempted rape is consistently one of the lowest of all crimes and offences. Further detail of acquittals with respect to Rape and attempted rape can be seen in Section 3.