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Publication - Statistics

Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2019-20

Published
18 May 2021
Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate
Part of
Law and order
ISBN
9781800049628

A total of 85,726 people were proceeded against in Scottish criminal courts in 2019-20, a fall of 4% from 89,725 proceedings in 2018-19 The number of convictions was 75,251 in 2019-20, which is also a fall of 4% from 78,488 in 2018-19. This continues the general downward trend of the last ten years,

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View supporting documents Supporting documents

Table 4(a) People proceeded against by main crime/offence, 2010-11 to 2019-20

Main crime or offence 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20[1] % change 2018-19 to 2019-20 All offences proceeded, 2019-20 [2]
All crimes and offences 131,142  124,842  116,684  121,786  123,322  116,823  107,342  95,555  89,725  85,726  -4 166,270 
All crimes 49,175  48,130  44,145  43,058  42,857  42,086  38,541  34,762  33,427  32,810  -2 70,096 
 Non-sexual crimes of violence 3,557  3,434  3,175  2,656  2,586  2,641  2,568  2,600  2,610  3,054  17 3,947 
  Homicide etc 139  134  148  113  111  111  94  113  99  99  - 105 
  Attempted murder and serious assault 2,098  2,047  2,033  1,633  1,641  1,740  1,700  1,732  1,777  1,954  10 2,365 
  Robbery  687  771  668  585  505  522  525  544  505  550  9 791 
  Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  246  - 269 
  Other non-sexual crimes of violence 633  482  326  325  329  268  249  211  229  205  -10 417 
 Sexual crimes 1,003  1,036  1,231  1,530  1,707  1,674  1,561  1,571  1,772  1,700  -4 4,144 
  Rape and attempted rape 80  93  138  219  271  216  251  246  313  300  -4 574 
  Sexual assault[3] 216  218  314  373  453  447  443  482  540  475  -12 1,368 
  Crimes associated with prostitution 270  217  167  185  176  117  98  53  43  74  72 108 
  Other sexual crimes 437  508  612  753  807  894  769  790  876  851  -3 2,094 
 Crimes of dishonesty 17,630  17,040  15,366  14,654  14,249  13,236  12,311  11,115  10,935  10,149  -7 22,759 
  Housebreaking 1,813  1,880  1,706  1,276  1,168  1,017  1,022  946  892  908  2 1,633 
  Theft by opening lockfast places 338  337  312  284  254  234  217  167  186  124  -33 324 
  Theft from a motor vehicle 318  295  238  167  131  120  105  93  121  101  -17 228 
  Theft of a motor vehicle 647  669  553  442  446  417  380  331  300  283  -6 1,275 
  Shoplifting 8,369  7,817  6,986  7,070  7,426  7,092  6,725  6,067  6,369  5,779  -9 11,742 
  Other theft 3,391  3,571  3,308  3,155  2,865  2,552  2,208  1,955  1,750  1,754  - 3,815 
  Fraud 1,231  925  761  825  693  679  654  568  497  485  -2 1,911 
  Other dishonesty 1,523  1,546  1,502  1,435  1,266  1,125  1,000  988  820  715  -13 1,831 
 Fire-raising, vandalism, etc. 3,991  3,623  3,174  3,024  2,944  2,712  2,395  2,191  2,123  2,018  -5 4,293 
  Fire-raising 194  176  170  161  159  143  140  152  141  146  4 250 
  Vandalism etc. 3,797  3,447  3,004  2,863  2,785  2,569  2,255  2,039  1,982  1,872  -6 4,043 
 Other crimes 22,994  22,997  21,199  21,194  21,371  21,823  19,706  17,285  15,987  15,889  -1 34,953 
  Crimes against public justice 11,244  11,806  11,249  11,111  11,430  11,589  10,304  9,159  8,293  8,584  4 19,230 
  Handling offensive weapons 2,953  2,838  2,226  2,104  1,989  1,883  1,790  1,772  1,921  2,072  8 4,051 
  Drugs 8,553  8,125  7,492  7,782  7,766  8,181  7,412  6,238  5,663  5,126  -9 11,476 
  Other crime 244  228  232  197  186  170  200  116  110  107  -3 196 
All offences 81,967  76,712  72,539  78,728  80,465  74,737  68,801  60,793  56,298  52,916  -6 96,174 
 Miscellaneous offences 34,906  35,789  34,693  35,856  38,715  39,619  35,992  31,220  27,149  25,590  -6 52,405 
  Common assault 15,812  16,341  15,017  14,744  15,766  16,374  14,867  12,891  11,335  10,531  -7 21,336 
  Breach of the peace etc. 13,958  14,608  15,069  16,262  18,522  19,418  18,025  15,795  13,676  12,999  -5 26,827 
  Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct 670  352  257  358  283  165  80  49  35  35  - 318 
  Urinating etc 55  28  44  47  47  31  17  16  12  7  -42 61 
  Other miscellaneous 4,411  4,460  4,306  4,445  4,097  3,631  3,003  2,469  2,091  2,018  -3 3,863 
 Motor vehicle offences 47,061  40,923  37,846  42,872  41,750  35,118  32,809  29,573  29,149  27,326  -6 43,769 
  Dangerous and careless driving 3,495  3,198  3,095  3,899  3,778  3,989  4,168  4,199  3,390  3,676  8 4,960 
  Driving under the influence 5,648  5,562  5,009  4,318  3,845  3,730  3,824  3,845  3,726  3,520  -6 5,000 
  Speeding 13,172  12,602  12,195  14,281  14,251  12,630  10,874  9,566  9,172  9,268  1 9,859 
  Unlawful use of motor vehicle 12,160  9,921  8,682  9,488  9,258  7,088  7,921  7,584  8,255  6,907  -16 14,850 
  Vehicle defect offences 1,902  1,623  1,374  1,740  1,724  1,661  1,429  1,058  1,197  1,140  -5 2,615 
  Seat belt offences 2,743  2,047  2,132  2,604  2,293  527  326  97  217  181  -17 374 
  Mobile phone offences 3,916  2,896  2,937  3,415  3,606  2,645  1,710  994  815  564  -31 672 
  Other motor vehicle offences 4,025  3,074  2,422  3,127  2,995  2,848  2,557  2,230  2,377  2,070  -13 5,439 

1. Figures for some categories dealt with by the high court - including homicide, rape and major drug cases - may be underestimated due to late recording of disposals - See annex Revisions section.
2. Number of individual offences relating to people proceeded against, whether or not the main crime/offence involved.

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