Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2025-26

Total Recorded Crime

Figure 1. Recorded Crime in Scotland has decreased by 49% since it peaked in 1991.

Total crimes recorded by the police (000s), Scotland, 1971 to 1994, 1995-96 to 2025-26.

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

The total number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland in 2025-26 was 315,357. This is 16,246 crimes (or 5%) higher than the level recorded in 2024-25. Over the past 10 years, total recorded crime in Scotland has increased by 6%. This represents a more stable period than the previous 10 years (2006-07 to 2015-16), when total recorded crime fell by 38%.

Figure 1 shows the total number of recorded crimes since 1971. The recording of crime is at the highest level since 2014-15 (when 315,779 crimes were recorded), though remains down 49% from its peak in 1991.

Legislative changes and changes to crime recording practices will have had some effect on the longer term time series for recorded crime. Annex 1 provides information on these changes.

The national rate of total recorded crime was 569 crimes per 10,000 population in 2025-26. This has increased from 539 crimes per 10,000 population in 2024-25, and 555 crimes per 10,000 population in 2016-17.

Figure 2. What makes up Recorded crime?

Proportions of total recorded crime by crime group, Scotland, 2025-26.

Figure 2 shows the proportion of total recorded crime that each crime group represents in Scotland in 2025-26. Of all recorded crimes:

• Crimes of dishonesty was the largest group, accounting for 37%.
• Non-sexual crimes of violence accounted for 24%.
• Crimes against society accounted for 21%.
• Damage and reckless behaviour accounted for 12%.
• Sexual crime accounted for 5%.

Figure 3. Crimes of dishonesty has consistently been the largest crime group in each year since 1971.

Crimes recorded by the police by crime group (excluding Coronavirus restrictions) (000s), Scotland, 1971 to 1994, 1995-96 to 2025-26.

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

Figure 3 shows the number of recorded crimes for each crime group since 1971, excluding Coronavirus restrictions crimes. Despite significant decreases in Crimes of dishonesty, it remains the largest crime group.

These crime groups are discussed in more detail in the following chapters.

Total Recorded Crime by Local Authority

Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crime decreased in three local authorities, increased in 28, and one changed very little (<1%). Since 2024-25, Dundee City saw the largest percentage increase (up 18%) while North Ayrshire saw the largest decrease (down 4%). Between 2016-17 and 2025-26, recorded crime decreased in nine local authorities, increased in 21, and two changed very little (<1%). Since 2016-17, East Lothian saw the largest percentage increase (up 31%) while Shetlands Islands saw the largest decrease (down 13%). Table 1 in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook provides the number of crimes recorded in each local authority over the past 10 years.

Figure 4 below shows the number of recorded crimes per 10,000 population in each local authority and Scotland as a whole in 2025-26. In Scotland as a whole, there were 569 recorded crimes per 10,000 population in 2025-26. Dundee City recorded the highest rate (929 per 10,000 population) and Shetland Islands recorded the lowest rate (203 per 10,000 population). Table 4 in the 'Supporting documents' Excel workbook provides further details on the number of crimes recorded per 10,000 population in each local authority over the past 10 years.

Figure 4. Dundee City has the highest number of crimes per 10,000 population in 2025-26, while Shetland Islands has the lowest.

Total number of recorded crimes per 10,000 population, Scotland, 2025-26.

Population data source: Mid-2024 population estimates from National Records of Scotland (NRS).

Due to 2025 mid-year population estimates from the National Records of Scotland being published after the release of the Recorded Crime in Scotland 2025-26 bulletin, the 2024 mid-year population estimates have been used to calculate the 2025-26 population rates. Population estimates have also been revised for mid-2023, therefore crime rates per 10,000 population may differ from those published in 2025. The revised time series is available from Population estimates time series data - National Records of Scotland (NRS).