Crime in Scotland has risen over the last year by 3%, while the number of sexual crimes is 12% higher than what it was at the beginning of the decade.
Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released the numbers for Recorded Crime in the country for the year ending June 2024.
Police in Scotland recorded 300,070 crimes for the year, which is a 3% rise from the 292,702 crimes recorded in the year ending June 2023, and just below the crimes in 2020 which were 300,333.
Crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 rose from 1,784 to 2,169 and shoplifting climbed from 30,202 to 40,554, prompting calls for action.
Non-sexual crimes of violence were up 2% this year rising from 70,136 to 71,341, and 9% higher than 2020.
Sexual crimes decreased in the year ending June 2024. They fell 3% from 14,834 to 14,417 recorded crimes, but the figure remains 12% higher than in 2020 when it sat at 12,882.
Despite the 3% decline in overall sexual crimes, rape and attempted rape rose by 2% to 2,609.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said the rise in crime was “alarming” but “unsurprising”.
He said: “With officer numbers at a 17-year low, our streets are less safe due entirely to decisions made by successive SNP justice ministers in Edinburgh.
“The significant increase in domestic crimes also underlines the urgent need for my colleague Pam Gosal’s proposed new law to create a domestic abuse register.”
David Lonsdale, Scottish Retail Consortium director, said: “It’s appalling that shoplifting has soared by a third.
“Despite record spending by retailers on crime prevention, the rate of thefts continues to rise.”
He said members report shoplifters becoming “bolder and more aggressive” and called on the authorities to prioritise crime against retailers “to ensure our shops are made safer”.
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Crimes of dishonesty rose by 8% from 104,495 to 112,384 crimes. Damage and reckless behaviour crimes were 6% lower compared to last year, decreasing from 42,932 to 40,285 crimes, and 12% lower compared to the figure of 45,814 reported in 2020.
Crimes against society were 2% higher slightly increasing from 60,305 to 61,643 crimes, but 8% lower than the 66,843 crimes in the year ending June 2020.
The number of offences recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending June 2024 was 177,849. This is 3% higher than the 172,923 offences recorded in the year ending June 2023, and 5% lower than the 187,790 offences recorded in the year ending June 2020.
Scottish Government officials noted that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and associated measures to limit social contact, has had an impact on both the type and volume of crime recorded since March 2020.
The say the largest impact was seen during the year ending June 2021, and to a lesser extent the years ending June 2020 and June 2022. The final legal restrictions were lifted in April 2022, meaning the most recent years (those ending June 2023 and June 2024) were not impacted by these restrictions.
A Scottish Government spokesperson added: “Scotland continues to be a safe place to live, with recorded crime at one of the lowest levels since 1974 and down 40% since 2006-07.
“While any increase in an area of recorded crime is concerning, these statistics help to demonstrate evolving trends in offending which will help inform future policing priorities.
“We are providing record police funding of £1.55 billion this year – an increase of £92.7 million – and Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales.”
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