Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2019-2020

Statistics on crimes and offences recorded and cleared up by the police in Scotland, split by crime or offence group and by local authority.


7. Classification of Crimes and Offences

Crimes

Group 1: Non-sexual crimes of violence

(Also referred to as Crimes of violence)

Homicide etc.

Includes:

  • Murder
  • Culpable homicide
    • Culpable homicide (common law)
    • Causing death by dangerous driving
    • Causing death by careless driving when under influence of drink or drugs
    • Causing death by careless driving
    • Illegal driver involved in fatal accident
    • Corporate homicide

Attempted murder and serious assault

Includes:

  • Attempted murder
  • Serious assault

For the definition of Serious assault and the distinction between Serious assault and Common assault please see Paragraph 6.19 within Annex 1.

Robbery

  • Robbery and assault with intent to rob

Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act

  • Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act

Other

Includes:

  • Threats and extortion
  • Cruel and unnatural treatment of children
  • Abortion
  • Concealment of pregnancy
  • Possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, commit crime etc.
  • Abduction
  • Ill treatment and neglect of mental patients and vulnerable adults
  • Drugging
  • Slavery or forced labour
  • Human organ offences

Group 2: Sexual crimes

Rape and attempted rape

Includes:

  • Rape
  • Attempted rape

Sexual assault

Includes:

  • Contact sexual assault (13-15 year old or adult 16+)
  • Sexually coercive conduct (13-15 year old or adult 16+)
  • Sexual crimes against children under 13 years
  • Lewd and libidinous practices

Crimes associated with prostitution

Includes:

  • Crimes relating to prostitution
  • Soliciting services of person engaged in prostitution
  • Brothel keeping
  • Immoral traffic
  • Procuration

Other

Includes:

  • Other sexually coercive conduct
  • Other sexual crimes involving 13-15 year old children
  • Taking, distribution, possession etc. of indecent photos of children
  • Incest
  • Unnatural crimes
  • Public indecency
  • Sexual exposure
  • Threatening to disclose and intimate image
  • Disclosure of an intimate image
  • Communications Act 2003 (sexual)
  • Other sexual crimes

Group 3: Crimes of dishonesty

(Also referred to as Dishonesty)

Housebreaking

Includes:

  • Theft by housebreaking domestic property (dwelling and non-dwelling)
  • Theft by housebreaking other property
  • Housebreaking with intent to steal domestic property (dwelling and non-dwelling)
  • Housebreaking with intent to steal other property
  • Attempted housebreaking with intent to enter and steal domestic property (dwelling and non-dwelling)
  • Attempted housebreaking with intent to enter and steal other property

Theft by opening lockfast places (OLP)

  • Theft by opening lockfast places (OLP) (excluding motor vehicle)
  • OLP (excluding motor vehicle) with intent to steal
  • Attempted OLP excluding motor vehicle with intent to steal

Theft from a motor vehicle by OLP

Includes:

  • Theft by OLP from a motor vehicle
  • OLP with intent to steal from a motor vehicle
  • Attempted OLP with intent to steal from a motor vehicle

Theft of motor vehicle

  • Theft of a motor vehicle and contents
  • Attempted theft of a motor vehicle

Shoplifting

  • Shoplifting

Other theft

Includes:

  • Theft of pedal cycles
  • Theft from a motor vehicle not elsewhere classified

Fraud

  • Fraud

Other crimes of dishonesty

Includes:

  • Forgery (other)
  • Reset
  • Embezzlement
  • Corruption

Group 4: Fire-raising, vandalism etc.

Fire-raising

Includes:

  • Fire-raising
  • Muirburn

Vandalism, etc. -

Includes:

  • Malicious mischief
  • Vandalism
  • Culpable and reckless conduct (not with firearms)
  • Reckless conduct with firearms
  • Culpable and reckless conduct involving aircraft

Group 5: Other crimes

Crimes against public justice

Includes:

  • Perjury
  • Resisting arrest
  • Bail offences (other than absconding or re-offending)
  • Wasting police time

Handling offensive weapons

Includes:

  • Possession of an offensive weapon
  • Restriction of offensive weapons
  • Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
  • Having in prison an article with a blade or point
  • Possession of a firearm in a prison
  • Possession of an offensive weapon (not elsewhere specified) in a prison
  • Possession of an offensive weapon (not elsewhere specified) in a school
  • Having in a school an article with a blade or point
  • Possession of an offensive weapon used in other criminal activity
  • Having in a public place an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity
  • Possession of an offensive weapon in a prison used in other criminal activity
  • Having in a prison an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity
  • Possession of offensive weapon in a school used in other criminal activity
  • Having in a school an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity

Drugs

Includes:

  • Importation of drugs
  • Production, manufacture or cultivation of drugs
  • Possession and supply of controlled drugs
  • Related money laundering offences
  • Bringing drugs into prison
  • Psychoactive substance: production, import/export, supply or possession in custody

Other

Includes:

  • Treason
  • Conspiracy
  • Offences relating to serious organised crime
  • Explosives offences
  • Wrecking, piracy and hijacking
  • Crimes against public order

Coronavirus restrictions crimes

  • Coronavirus restrictions crimes

Offences

Group 6: Miscellaneous offences

Common assault

Includes:

  • Common assault
  • Common assault on an emergency worker

For the distinction between Serious assault and Common assault please see Paragraph 6.19 within Annex 1.

Breach of the peace etc.

Includes:

  • Breach of the peace
  • Threatening or abusive behaviour
  • Offence of stalking
  • Offensive behaviour at football
  • Threatening communications (Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act 2012)

Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct

Includes:

  • Drunk and disorderly
  • Drunk and incapable
  • Drunk in charge of a child
  • Drunk and attempting to enter licensed premises
  • Drunk or drinking in unlicensed premises
  • Disorderly on licensed premises
  • Drunk and attempting to enter designated sports ground
  • Refusing to quit licensed premises
  • Consumption of alcohol in designated places, byelaws prohibited

Urinating etc.

Includes:

  • Urinating /defecating

Other

Other (cont.)

Includes:

  • Racially aggravated harassment
  • Racially aggravated conduct
  • False/Hoax calls
  • Offences involving children
  • Offences involving animals/plants
  • Air weapons licensing offences
  • Offences against local legislation
  • Offences against liquor licensing laws
  • Labour laws
  • Naval military and air force laws
  • Offences against environmental legislation
  • Consumer protection acts

Group 7: Motor vehicle offences

Dangerous and careless driving

Includes:

  • Dangerous driving offences
  • Driving carelessly

Driving under the influence

Includes:

  • Driving or in charge of motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs
  • Blood alcohol content above limit
  • Failing to provide breath, blood or urine specimens

Speeding

Includes:

  • Speeding in restricted areas
  • Other speeding offences

Unlawful use of vehicle

Includes:

  • Driving while disqualified
  • Driving without a licence
  • Driving without insurance
  • Driving without a test certificate
  • Vehicle tax and registration and identification offences

Vehicle defect offences

Includes:

  • Construction and use regulations
  • Lighting offences

Seat belt offences

  • Seat belt offences

Mobile phone offences

  • Mobile phone offences

Other

Includes:

  • Accident offences
  • Parking offences

Contact

Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

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