Number of convictions for graffiti vandalism since 2015: FOI release

Information requested

Number of people proceeded and convicted for graffiti vandalism since 2015-16.

Response

The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 makes provision for a ban on the sale of spray paints to people under the age of 16, and also enables the police to issue on-the-spot fixed penalties to people suspected of statutory vandalism offences, such as graffiti. However, under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) Scotland Act 1995 any person who, without reasonable excuse, wilfully or recklessly destroys or damages any property belonging to another shall be guilty of the offence of vandalism and is liable for a fine up to £1000.

Our database does not allow us to distinguish between the various acts of vandalism that are prosecuted under this section, hence we are unable to distinguish how many crimes of vandalism were in relation to graffiti.

The following table shows the number of people prosecuted for a main charge of vandalism (including malicious damage and malicious mischief) by result of the proceedings.

Number of people proceeded in Scottish Courts for Vandalism (incl. malicious damage and malicious mischief), where main charge, by result, 2015-16 to 2018-19.

	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19
	Not Guilty Guilty	Not Guilty Guilty	Not Guilty   Guilty	Not Guilty Guilty
Vandalism (including malicious damage and malicious mischief)	361   1,708	328    1,469	2771    383	270   1,345

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

The Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database is not a live system and the latest available information is for the financial year 2018-19. Statistics are presented on the number of people dealt with by the Scottish Criminal Justice System where proceedings have concluded rather than the number of cases heard.

Information for 2019-20 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2019-20 Statistical Bulletin. This is expected to be published in the spring of 2021. The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/ForthcomingPubs

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