Recorded Crime in Scotland: year ending December 2025

Key points

The police in Scotland recorded 308,532 crimes in the year ending December 2025. This was 3% higher than the 298,306 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2024, and 6% higher than the 292,316 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2021.

It should be noted that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and associated measures to limit social contact, has had an impact on both the type and volume of crime recorded between March 2020 and the lifting of final legal restrictions in April 2022.

In the year ending December 2025:

• Non-sexual crimes of violence were 5% higher compared to the year ending December 2024 (increasing from 70,635 to 74,384 crimes), and 13% higher compared to the year ending December 2021 (increasing from 65,930 to 74,384 crimes).
• Sexual crimes were 10% higher compared to the year ending December 2024 (increasing from 14,539 to 16,029 crimes), and 10% higher compared to the year ending December 2021 (increasing from 14,598 to 16,029 crimes).
• Crimes of dishonesty were 2% higher compared to the year ending December 2024 (increasing from 111,265 to 113,729 crimes), and 27% higher compared to the year ending December 2021 (increasing from 89,888 to 113,729 crimes).
• Damage and reckless behaviour was 3% lower compared to the year ending December 2024 (decreasing from 39,249 to 37,962 crimes), and 13% lower compared to the year ending December 2021 (decreasing from 43,428 to 37,962 crimes).
• Crimes against society were 6% higher compared to the year ending December 2024 (increasing from 62,618 to 66,428 crimes), and 6% higher compared to the year ending December 2021 (increasing from 62,824 to 66,428 crimes).

The number of offences recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending December 2025 was 191,153. This is 8% higher than the 177,172 offences recorded in the year ending December 2024, and 5% higher than the 182,071 offences recorded in the year ending December 2021.

• Antisocial offences were 7% higher compared to the year ending December 2024 (increasing from 48,322 to 51,849 offences), but 6% lower compared to the year ending December 2021 (decreasing from 55,069 to 51,849 offences).
• Miscellaneous offences were 2% higher compared to the year ending December 2024 (increasing from 13,821 to 14,086 offences), and 10% higher compared to the year ending December 2021 (increasing from 12,855 to 14,086 offences).
• Road traffic offences were 9% higher compared to the year ending December 2024 (increasing from 115,029 to 125,218 offences), and 10% higher compared to the year ending December 2021 (increasing from 114,147 to 125,218 offences).