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Scotland's Recorded Crime for the Year Ending December 2022

The Recorded Crime in Scotland, year concluding December 2022, report was published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician.

In the year concluding December 2022, 287,678 crimes were reported to the police in Scotland. This was 2% and 4% fewer, respectively, than the 292,316 and 298,452 crimes that were reported in the years ending in December 2021 and 2018, respectively.

It should be noted that both the type and amount of crime reported since March 2020 were impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and related steps to restrict social contact. Most recently, a decrease in crimes reported under legislation linked to the Coronavirus was the primary factor in the 2% drop in recorded crime between the years ending in December 2021 and December 2022. (from 15,648 to 14). The total number of other offences went up by 4%.

For the 12-month period concluding December 2022, the number of crimes reported is at one of the lowest levels recorded since 1974.

In the year ending December 2022:

Non-sexual crimes of violence increased from 65,930 to 69,117 crimes in the year concluding December 2021, and they also increased by 5% from December 2018 to December 2021. (increasing from 66,082 to 69,117 crimes).

When compared to the year concluding in December 2021, sexual crimes increased by 1% (from 14,598 to 14,640 crimes), and by 10% (from December 2018 to December 2019). (increasing from 13,335 to 14,640 crimes).

Dishonesty crimes increased from 89,888 to 100,754 in the year concluding December 2021, a 12% increase, but a 10% decrease from the year ending December 2018. (decreasing from 111,530 to 100,754 crimes).

Damage and reckless conduct were 10% lower than in the year ending December 2018 but 1% higher than in the year ending December 2021 (increasing from 43,428 to 43,711 crimes). (decreasing from 48,398 to 43,711 crimes).