Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2025-26

Non-sexual crimes of violence

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, the number of Non-sexual crimes of violence recorded by the police in Scotland increased by 6% from 71,170 to 75,601. In the last 10 years, the number of Non-sexual crimes of violence has increased by 14% from 66,397 in 2016-17 to 75,601 in 2025-26.

Figure 5. Non-sexual crimes of violence are at a higher level than in 1971 but are 18% below the peak in 2006-07.

Non-sexual crimes of violence recorded by the police, Scotland, 1971 to 1994, 1995‑96 to 2025-26.

Note: Data are incomplete for 1975 due to local government reorganisation.

Figure 5 above shows the number of recorded Non-sexual crimes of violence from 1971 onwards.

Levels of Non-sexual violent crime were on a generally upward trend from 1971 to a peak in 2006-07. They then fell until 2014-15 before the upward trend resumed, despite a Covid related dip in 2020-21. While the number of these crimes has increased in the most recent year, Non-sexual crimes of violence are 18% lower than the peak in 2006-07.

The national rate of Non-sexual crimes of violence was 136 crimes per 10,000 population in 2025-26. This has increased from 128 crimes per 10,000 population in 2024-25 and 124 crimes per 10,000 population in 2016-17.

Figure 6. What makes up Non-sexual crimes of violence?

Proportions of Non-sexual crimes of violence by crime category, Scotland, 2025-26.

Figure 6 shows the proportion of Non-sexual crimes of violence that each crime category represents in Scotland in 2025-26. 

The clear majority (83% in 2025-26) of Non-sexual crimes of violence are crimes of Common assault. Due to the size of this crime category within the group, any changes to the trend in Common assault will tend to impact the trend for the group as a whole. As such, the 6% increase in Non-sexual crimes of violence between 2024-25 and 2025-26 is primarily due to an increase in Common assault (up 6%).

Figure 7 below presents all crime categories of Non-sexual crimes of violence other than Common assault over the last 10 years and gives an indication of the trend and scale of each category.

Figure 7. Other non-sexual violence and Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 crimes have increased considerably since 2019-20, whilst Serious assault and attempted murder has fallen considerably since 2016-17.

Non-sexual crimes of violence (excluding Common assault) recorded by the police, by category, Scotland, 2016-17 to 2025-26.

Murder and culpable homicide

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Murder and culpable homicide increased by 25% from 44 to 55 crimes. There was a 15% decrease over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 65 to 55 crimes.

The Scottish Government produce a separate Homicide in Scotland statistics bulletin. It contains detailed information on the crimes of Murder and Culpable homicide (common law). It presents characteristics of victims and accused, such as age and gender and the circumstances of the homicide. Users interested in Homicide statistics should use the Homicide in Scotland statistics bulletin.

The latest Homicide in Scotland bulletin reports on the year of 2024-25. The data showed a decrease in the number of homicide victims compared to 2023-24, from 57 to 45. This was the lowest number since comparable records began in 1976.

Death by dangerous driving

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Death by dangerous driving decreased by 23% from 66 to 51 crimes. There was a 28% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 40 to 51 crimes.

Serious assault and attempted murder

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Serious assault and attempted murder increased by 2% from 3,024 to 3,075 crimes. There was a 27% decrease over the 10 year period from 2016-17 to 2025-26, from 4,186 to 3,075 crimes.

In 2024-25, crimes of Serious assault of police officer/staff and Serious assault of emergency worker (non-police) were identifiable crimes for the first time, having previously been included under the broader crime of Serious assault. In 2025-26, there were 23 recorded crimes of Serious assault of police officer/ staff, up by 3 from the 20 recorded in 2024-25, and 9 crimes of Serious assault of emergency worker (non-police), down by 3 from the 12 recorded in 2024-25. More information on these new crime codes are provided in Annex 1.

Serious assault of retail worker, which came in to effect on 24 August 2021 under the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021, increased from 11 crimes in 2024-25 to 18 in 2025-26. More information on this legislation is provided in Annex 1.

For the definition of Serious assault and the distinction between Serious assault and Common assault please see the User Guide. Information on comparisons with other data sources regarding serious assaults is available in the Data and methodology section.

Common assault

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Common assault increased by 6% from 59,230 to 62,763 crimes. There was an 8% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 57,861 to 62,763 crimes.

Since 2024-25, all crimes of Common assault have been divided in to two categories; with and without injury. In 2025-26, of the 62,763 common assaults recorded, almost two thirds (64%) were recorded as common assault without injury.

These categories have been further disaggregated by including Common assault, Common assault of retail worker, Common assault of police officer/staff, and Common assault of emergency worker (non-Police). Further information is available from Table A1 in the 'Supporting documents'. Figure 8 below shows the proportions of Common assault by type in 2025-26.

For the definition of Common assault with/without injury please see the User Guide.

Figure 8. What makes up Common assault?

Proportions of Common assault by type, Scotland, 2025-26.

More information on procedural changes to the recording of Common assault is provided in Annex 1.

Robbery

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Robbery increased by 4% from 1,782 to 1,849 crimes. There was a 29% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 1,435 to 1,849 crimes.

Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018

There were 3,170 crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 in 2025-26. This was a 23% increase compared to 2024-25 (from 2,573 to 3,170).

Of those crimes, 93% (or 2,954) involved a female victim and 7% (or 216) had a male victim.

It should be noted that crimes under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 relate to a course of conduct only and therefore do not include all crimes relating to domestic abuse.

Statistics presented in this bulletin are the primary source for users interested in the number of crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018. However, separate analysis of domestic abuse incidents and domestic abuse aggravated crimes recorded by the police is presented in the Domestic abuse: statistics recorded by the police in Scotland Official Statistics bulletin. This is produced by the Scottish Government and contains details of domestic abuse incidents and domestic abuse aggravated crimes recorded by Police Scotland, including characteristics of victims and perpetrators, such as their age and gender. The latest Domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland bulletin contains data for 2024-25 and was published on 9 June 2026.

Other non-sexual violence

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Other non-sexual violence increased by 4% from 4,451 to 4,638 crimes. There was a 65% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 2,810 to 4,638 crimes.

The Other non-sexual violence category includes a wide range of crime types, albeit just five accounted for 91% of the 4,638 crimes recorded in 2025-26. This included Threats & extortion (40% of all Other non-sexual violent crimes), Stalking (22%), Cruelty to & unnatural treatment of children (16%), Abduction (8%) and Illegal, careless or dangerous driver causing serious injury (6%). More detail on the crimes included in this crime category is provided in Table A3 in the 'Supporting documents'.

The increase from 2024-25 is primarily due an increase in crimes of Threats and extortion, which are up 6% from 1,750 in 2024-25 to 1,849 in 2025-26. These crimes remain more than four times higher than 10 years ago (from 425 in 2016-17). In 2025-26, 86% of crimes of Threats and extortion were estimated to be cyber-crimes (further information on this is available in the Cyber-crime chapter).