Five per cent uptick in recorded crime

The police in Scotland recorded 302,076 crimes in the year ending December 2023. This was five per cent higher than the 287,678 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2022, but two per cent lower than the 308,434 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2019.

The recording of crime for the year ending December 2023 remains at one of the lowest levels seen for a 12-month period since 1974.

In the year ending December 2023:

• Non-sexual crimes of violence were four per cent higher compared to the year ending December 2022 (increasing from 69,117 to 71,900 crimes), and four per cent higher compared to the year ending December 2019 (increasing from 68,987 to 71,900 crimes).
• Sexual crimes were two per cent higher compared to the year ending December 2022 (increasing from 14,640 to 14,894 crimes), and eight per cent higher compared to the year ending December 2019 (increasing from 13,765 to 14,894 crimes).
• Crimes of dishonesty were 11 per cent higher compared to the year ending December 2022 (increasing from 100,754 to 111,682 crimes), and <1 per cent higher compared to the year ending December 2019 (increasing from 111,392 to 111,682 crimes).
• Damage and reckless behaviour was four per cent lower compared to the year ending December 2022 (decreasing from 43,711 to 42,124 crimes), and 13 per cent lower compared to the year ending December 2019 (decreasing from 48,469 to 42,124 crimes).
• Crimes against society were three per cent higher compared to the year ending December 2022 (increasing from 59,442 to 61,476 crimes), but seven per cent lower compared to the year ending December 2019 (decreasing from 65,821 to 61,476 crimes).

The number of offences recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending December 2023 was 179,616. This is four per cent higher than the 173,269 offences recorded in the year ending December 2022, but six per cent lower than the 192,028 offences recorded in the year ending December 2019.