Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24: Main findings
Main findings from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24.
Overview of crime in Scotland
Between 2008/09 and 2021/22, the headline crime measure of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) was a product of two distinct groups being combined – property and violent crime.
Following consultation with users in 2021, work commenced to develop and test a new victim form for a third distinct group of crimes - specifically fraud and computer misuse. This new questionnaire was largely based on that used from 2015 onwards by the Crime Survey for England and Wales.[1] With the new victim form included within the 2023/24 survey questionnaire, findings on the prevalence and characteristics of fraud and computer misuse in Scotland are presented here for the first time.
In this report, headline SCJS crime includes property and violent crime, as previously defined, and also now fraud and computer misuse (see section below). As this is the first year of an expanded headline measure, comparisons over time are not yet possible. However, in addition to the new headline measure, we will continue to provide long-term comparisons of property and violent crimes combined in line with the previous measurement.
Crime groups measured by the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey
Violent crime includes the following distinct groups:
- assault (includes serious assault, minor assault with injury, minor assault with no or negligible injury, and attempted assault)
- robbery
Property crime includes the following distinct groups:
- housebreaking
- personal theft (excluding robbery)
- other household theft (including bicycle theft)
- all motor vehicle related theft (including theft and attempted theft of and from a vehicle)
- vandalism (including motor vehicle and property vandalism)
Fraud and computer misuse crimes includes the following distinct groups:
- bank and credit card fraud
- other types of fraud (including consumer, retail and advanced fee fraud)
- computer misuse
Further details on each of these groups is provided in the Technical Report.
What was the prevalence of victimisation in Scotland in 2023/24?
In 2023/24, around one-in-five of adults (19.9%) were estimated to have experienced at least one headline SCJS crime (including fraud and computer misuse). This percentage is the best estimate, with the actual figure between 18.4% and 21.4%.
For property and violent crimes combined, 12.1% of adults experienced at least one crime in 2023/24. The proportion of adults experiencing these crimes has decreased from 20.4% in 2008/09 but has seen an increase from 10.0% in 2021/22. However, the latest figure is not significantly different from the pre-covid position in 2019/20 (11.9%).
Figure 2.1: The proportion of adults experiencing property and violent crime fell by 8.4% percentage points since 2008/09 but has risen by 2.1% percentage points since 2021/22.
Proportion of adults experiencing any SCJS crime, 2008/09 to 2023/24.
Variable: PREVSURVEYCRIME.
What was the estimated volume of crime in Scotland in 2023/24?
In 2023/24, the SCJS estimates that 1,185,000 crimes occurred in Scotland. This estimate comprises property and violent crime as well as, for the first time, fraud and computer misuse. As discussed in the Background chapter, this estimate is rounded to the nearest 1,000 and is subject to a margin of error, with the actual number of incidents likely between 1,068,000 and 1,301,000. As this is the first year for this new headline measure (including fraud and computer misuse), it is not possible to make comparisons with earlier years.
In terms of property and violent crimes combined, the SCJS estimates that 661,000 crimes occurred in Scotland in 2023/24, with the actual number of incidents likely to be between 566,000 and 755,000. While property and violent crimes continue to be significantly lower than in 2008/09 (down 37%), there has been an increase of 34% since 2021/22. However, the latest figures are not significantly different to the pre-covid position seen in 2019/20.
Table 2.1 provides upper and lower estimates for overall crime, along with best estimates for property and violent crimes, which are detailed in later chapters. Further details on the estimation process are available in the Technical Report.
Figure 2.2: The level of property and violent crimes experienced by adults has fallen by 37% since 2008/09 but has increased by 34% since 2021/22.
Estimated number of incidents of SCJS crime, 2008/09 to 2023/24.
Variable: INCSURVEYCRIME.
Table 2.1 looks at results from key comparator years[2] more closely and shows that the estimated number of incidents of overall property and violent crime experienced by adults:
- decreased by 37% between 2008/09 and 2023/24, from 1,045,000 to 661,000 – an estimated decrease of around 384,000 incidents
- increased by 34% since the last SCJS in 2021/22, up from 494,000 – an estimated increase of around 167,000 incidents
- has shown no change since 2019/20 – the apparent increase from 563,000 is not statistically significant
Table 2.1: The estimated number of property and violent crimes has fallen by over a third since 2008/09 and increased by a third since 2021/22 but remains unchanged from 2019/20.
Estimated number of incidents of SCJS property and violent crime (2008/09, 2019/20 to 2023/24) with percentage change, where significant, since 2008/09, 2019/20 and 2021/22.
| Estimated number of property and violent crimes | Change since | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008/09 | 2019/29 | 2021/22 | 2023/24 | 08/09 | 19/20 | 21/22 | |
|
Best estimate |
1,045,000 |
563,000 |
494,000 |
661,000 |
Down 37% |
No change |
Up 34% |
|
Lower estimate |
974,000 |
501,000 |
428,000 |
566,000 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Upper estimate |
1,116,000 |
625,000 |
560,000 |
755,000 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Number of respondents |
16,000 |
5,570 |
5,520 |
4,970 |
- |
- |
- |
Variable: INCSURVEYCRIME.
What types of crime were most commonly experienced?
From 2023/24, the SCJS collects data on the adult population’s experiences of three main types of crime – property crime, violent crime and fraud and computer misuse. It is estimated that over two-fifths (44%) of all crime measured by the survey in 2023/24 was fraud and computer misuse, with over a third (36%) being property crime and a fifth (20%) being violent crimes.
Figure 2.3 below shows the proportion of all crime accounted for by key sub-categories of crime. The largest individual group was bank and credit card fraud, which accounted for a fifth (21%) of all crime measured by the 2023/24 survey. In terms of the main crime groups:
- other household theft (including bicycle theft) and vandalism comprised around a third each (32% and 31% respectively) of all property crimes
- minor assault with no injury made up three-fifths (61%) of all violent crime
- bank and credit card fraud comprised around half (47%) of all fraud and computer misuse crime
Figure 2.3: Over two-fifths of crime in 2023/24 was fraud and computer misuse related, over a third was property crime and one fifth violent crime.
Categories of crime in 2023/24 as proportions of all headline SCJS crime, split by property crime, violent crime, and fraud and computer misuse.
Variable: Prevalence (PREV) variables.
The SCJS has consistently shown that adults in Scotland are much more likely to have experienced property crime than violent crime in any given year. It is estimated that 10.3% of adults were victims of property crime in 2023/24, whilst 2.9% experienced violent crime. The prevalence of both property crime and violent crime have fallen since 2008/09. In 2023/24, 9.5% of adults experienced a fraud or computer misuse crime, similar to that of property crime but higher than violent crime.
In 2023/24, the average number of crimes experienced was 3.5 for victims of violent crime, 2.4 for victims of fraud and computer misuse, and 1.8 for victims of property crime. This explains why the victimisation rate for property crimes is similar to that of fraud and computer misuse but the volume experienced is lower (429,000 and 524,000 respectively).
More detailed results about the extent, prevalence and nature of violent crime, property crime, and fraud and computer misuse crimes experienced in Scotland in 2023/24, including how experiences varied across the population and trends over time are provided in the respective ‘violent crime’, ‘property crime’ and ‘fraud and computer misuse’ chapters of this report.
How did the likelihood of experiencing crime vary across the population?
The proportion of adults who were victims of any headline SCJS crime (including fraud and computer misuse) in 2023/24 varied according to demographic and geographic characteristics. For instance, as shown in Figure 2.4, the likelihood of experiencing crime in 2023/24:
- was highest for those aged 16 to 24 and lowest for those aged 60 and over
- was higher in urban areas compared to rural locations
- was higher for disabled adults than those who are not disabled
There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of males or females (18.8% and 20.9% respectively), or those living in the 15% most deprived areas and the rest of Scotland (20.0% and 19.8% respectively) who were victims of any headline SCJS crime in 2023/24.
Figure 2.4: The likelihood of experiencing crime in 2023/24 was higher for those living in urban locations and for younger adults and those who are disabled.
Proportion of adults experiencing any crime measured by the SCJS in 2023/24, by demographic and area characteristics.
Variables: PREVSURVEYCRIME; QDAGE; SIMD_TOP; URBRUR.
The victimisation rate for property and violent crime combined has decreased since 2008/09 across many key groups in the population – including both males and females; all age groups shown above; those living in the most deprived areas as well as those living elsewhere in Scotland, and adults in both urban and rural locations and those who were and were not disabled.
What can the SCJS tell us about multiple victimisation?
The SCJS also enables us to further explore how experiences varied amongst victims and examine the concentration of crime, including what proportion of victims experienced more than one crime (of any type) during the year. This is known as ‘multiple victimisation’. Further information about the approach taken to process and derive SCJS results, including on multiple victimisation, is provided in the Technical Report.
Multiple victimisation examines the proportion of the population that experienced two or more property crimes, two or more violent crimes or two or more fraud and computer misuse crimes (known as repeat victimisation), or have been victims of any of these crime types (i.e. two or more incidents of any crime).
Repeat victimisation is a sub-set of multiple victimisation, the proportion of adults who have been the victim of the same type of crime more than once (e.g. repeat property crimes). Findings on the extent of repeat victimisation for property, violent and fraud and computer misuse crimes are presented separately in the relevant ‘violent crime’, ‘property crime’ and ‘fraud and computer misuse’ chapters of this report.
What proportion of adults experienced multiple victimisation?
As discussed above, the majority of adults (80.1%) did not experience any crime measured by the SCJS (including fraud and computer misuse) in 2023/24.
In 2023/24, 14.1% of adults were victims of a single SCJS crime (including fraud and computer misuse), accounting for 45% of all crime. Multiple victimisation affected 5.8% of adults, who experienced 55% of all SCJS crime. On average, these victims experienced two and a half crimes each.
In 2023/24, 8.5% of adults were victims of a single property or violent crime, accounting for 40% of all crime. Multiple victimisation for property and violent crimes affected 3.6% of adults, who experienced 60% of all of these crimes. On average, these victims experienced two property or violent crimes each.
Table 2.2: 5.8% of adults experienced two or more crimes during 2023/24, including fraud and computer misuse, accounting for over half of all SCJS crime over the year.
Proportion of all SCJS crime experienced by victims, by number of crimes experienced.
| Number of crimes | % of population (all SCJS crime) | % of all SCJS crime | % of population (property and violent crime) | % of property and violent crime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
None |
80.1% |
0% |
87.9% |
0% |
|
One |
14.1% |
45% |
8.5% |
40% |
|
Two |
3.1% |
20% |
1.7% |
17% |
|
Three |
1.0% |
8% |
0.7% |
9% |
|
Four |
0.5% |
7% |
0.3% |
7% |
|
Five or more |
1.1% |
19% |
0.9% |
27% |
|
Two or more |
5.8% |
55% |
3.6% |
60% |
Variables: INCSURVEYCRIME; PREVSURVEYCRIME.
Figure 2.5 explores trends in single and multiple victimisation over time for the previous headline measure of property and violent crime combined. It highlights that between 2008/09 and 2023/24 there were decreases in the proportion of adults experiencing:
- single incidents of property or violent crime – from 12.2% to 8.5%
- multiple victimisation (two or more incidents of property or violent crime) – from 8.2% to 3.6%
- high frequency multiple victimisation (five or more incidents of property or violent crime crime) – from 1.5% to 0.9%
The fall in the various levels of property and violent crime victimisation since 2008/09 has occurred alongside a fall in the overall property and violent crime victimisation rate over this period, as discussed previously.
Since the last SCJS in 2021/22, there was a significant increase in the proportion of adults experiencing single victimisation for property and violent crimes (from 7.0% to 8.5%). There was also a significant increase in those experiencing five or more of these incidents (from 0.4% to 0.9%) but no change for those experiencing two or more – as the increase shown in Figure 2.5 is not statistically significant.
Figure 2.5: The proportion of adults experiencing multiple victimisation for property and violent crimes fell from 8.2% to 3.6% between 2008/09 and 2023/24 but remains unchanged in recent years.
Proportion of adults experiencing number of SCJS crimes.
Variables: INCSURVEYCRIME; PREVSURVEYCRIME.
In summary these findings show that, compared to 2008/09, adults in 2023/24 were less likely to be victims of:
- at least one property or violent crime
- one property or violent crime specifically
- more than one property or violent crime
What proportion of crime was reported to the police?
One of the key strengths of the SCJS is that it provides evidence on the extent of crime experienced by the population, including incidents which are not reported to the police. For this reason, the SCJS and police recorded crime statistics are complementary sources that, together, present a fuller picture of crime in Scotland. The 'Comparisons with other statistical sources of crime and victimisation' chapter of this report explores the differences and similarities between the SCJS and recorded crime (including trends over time) in more detail.
In 2023/24, the SCJS estimates that 21% of all headline crimes (including fraud and computer misuse) came to the attention of the police. When looking at property and violent crimes alone, 31% of crimes were reported to the police, this is unchanged from the position in 2021/22 but down from 40% in 2019/20. Reporting rates were 24% for property crimes (unchanged since 2021/22 but down from 36% in 2019/20) and 44% for violent crimes (unchanged since 2021/22 and 2019/20). In 2023/24, only one-in-ten (9%) of crimes of fraud and computer misuse were reported to the police.
Further information on the reporting rates and the reasons behind non-reporting are presented in the ‘violent crime’, ‘property crime’ and ‘fraud and computer misuse’ chapters.
Figure 2.6: The proportion of crime reported to the police in 2023/24 remains unchanged since 2021/22.
The proportion of crime reported to the police between 2008/09 and 2023/24.
Variables: QPOL; FCOPSKNOW3.
[1] Annex table A2 provides best estimates of the number of incidents of crime for each SCJS year since 2008/09.
Contact
Email: scjs@gov.scot