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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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Table 3 People convicted by type of court, 2010-11 to 2019-20

Type of court 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 % change 2018-19 to 2019-20
All court types 115,581    108,424    101,018    105,658    106,575    99,954    92,330    83,177    78,488    75,251    -4%
 High court [1,2] 706    765    708    704    595    603    649    598    582    660    13%
 Sheriff solemn 4,022    4,141    4,292    4,180    4,745    4,984    4,658    3,908    4,219    4,511    7%
 Sheriff summary [3] 65,360    64,264    60,055    59,200    59,911    59,218    55,534    51,227    46,542    45,901    -1%
 Justice of the Peace court  45,493    39,254    35,963    41,574    41,324    35,149    31,489    27,444    27,145    24,179    -11%
Type of court 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
All court types 100    100    100    100    100    100    100    100    100    100   
 High court [1,2] 1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1   
 Sheriff solemn 3    4    4    4    4    5    5    5    5    6   
 Sheriff summary [3] 57    59    59    56    56    59    60    62    59    61   
 Justice of the Peace court  39    36    36    39    39    35    34    33    35    32   
Type of court 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
All court types 100    94    87    91    92    86    80    72    68    65   
 High court [1,2] 100    108    100    100    84    85    92    85    82    93   
 Sheriff solemn 100    103    107    104    118    124    116    97    105    112   
 Sheriff summary [3] 100    98    92    91    92    91    85    78    71    70   
 Justice of the Peace court  100    86    79    91    91    77    69    60    60    53   

1. Includes cases remitted to the high court from the sheriff court.
2. The figures for the most recent year, and to an extent earlier years, may be underestimated due to late recording of disposals. See annex Revisions section.
3. Includes any remaining cases seen in the stipendiary magistrates court in Glasgow.

Contact

Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

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