We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Statistics

Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: February 2026

Published
26 February 2026
From
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, +4 more … Minister for Victims and Community Safety, Lord Advocate, Chief Statistician, Director-General Education and Justice
Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate, +2 more … Justice Directorate, Children and Families Directorate
Topic
Communities and third sector, Law and order, Public safety and emergencies

This report contains summary statistics covering a number of important justice and safer communities areas. It is updated with the most recently published statistics.

Part of

Supporting documents

Statistics on hate crime

* New *   The first annual report under Section 15 of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 was published this month (17 February). The report presents information on police recorded hate crimes in 2024-25, covering the first year since the commencement of the Act. Due to legislative and administrative changes, it is not possible to make like-for-like comparisons with the period prior to 2024-25.

* New *   The police recorded 8,538 hate crimes in 2024-25.  In 2024-25, 62% of hate crimes included an aggravator for race, 24% sexual orientation, 12% disability, 7% religion and 2% transgender identity. The Act introduced two new protected characteristics, of age and variation in sex characteristics. Hate crimes aggravated by age and variation in sex characteristics each made up less than 1% of all hate crimes in 2024-25.

Small decrease in overall hate crime charges. There was a decrease of 1.2% between 2023-24 and 2024-25, in the total number of charges reported to COPFS containing at least one element of hate crime. The figures for 2024-25 are not directly comparable with earlier years because they include new categories of hate crime and new charges introduced by the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021. There were increases for disability hate crime charges. Race, religion and sexual orientation aggravated charges saw a decrease and transgender identity showed no change. Racial crime remains the most commonly reported hate crime, followed by crimes with a sexual orientation aggravator. Following the introduction of two new aggravators in the recent Act, there were 88 charges reported with an aggravation of age and 13 charges reported with an aggravation of variations in sex characteristics.

Chart 6: Number of charges reported to COPFS – 2003-04 to 2024-25

Annual number of charges of hate crime reported to the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service, by category of hate crime, 2003-04 to 2024-25. In the most recent data, race is the largest category, follow by sexual orientation, disability and then religious prejudice.

Back to top