Scottish crime recording standard: crime recording and counting rules

Introduction - Crime Recording

The following Annexes will assist when recording crime. Each Annex is broken down by Crime Group with each crime type providing an abbreviated definition, who the victim/complainer is, the locus of the crime, how the counting rules apply, any notes pertinent to the recording and the relevant SGJD code.

It must be recognised that it is impossible to cover every conceivable crime and scenario and therefore this manual concentrates on crimes in common use.

Further guidance can be sought from the Police Scotland Legal Database.

The following terminology will be referred to within this manual, the definitions of which are provided hereunder.

Continuity of Action (where applicable)

Where a person, or group of people acting together for a common purpose, undertake a series of actions, which when viewed individually would constitute a crime or offence on each occasion and these actions are similar in conduct and content, then this continuity of action should be taken as one crime or offence, irrespective of the timescales or loci involved, providing:-

• they are the same crime type; and
• they are the same victim/complainer

Subsume (where applicable)

The subsuming of crimes is mainly applicable to crimes within crime groups 3 and 4 which have occurred at the same locus on the same occasion with the same complainer. This means that where multiple incidences of the same crime of dishonesty, damage to property, or a combination of both, are committed on the same occasion at the same locus with the same complainer will be recorded as 1 crime only. Where it would be possible to record multiple types of crimes of dishonesty (e.g. theft by housebreaking and Opening Lockfast Place) within the same incident, only one crime type i.e. the most 'serious' will be applied. (See Section 'D' for more information on subsuming.)

Course of Conduct (where applicable)

A course of conduct must involve conduct on at least two occasions.

Incident (where applicable)

A crime or offence which can refer to more than one victim and/or accused and does not necessarily have to take place all at the same locus, but clearly the actions are deemed to be a continuous act and all part of the one encompassing event.