Although the total number of people prosecuted in Scottish courts saw a reduction in 2023-24, this masks an increase in many of the more serious offences. These will generally be more complex and take longer to conclude in court. As the data continues to be affected by the pandemic and the justice system’s recovery, figures from 2020-21 onwards should not be considered indicative of longer-term trends.

In 2023-24 a total of 73,224 people were proceeded against in court, a decrease of seven per cent from 2022-23 (79,104 people). Of these, 63,486 people were convicted of at least one of the charges against them. This was also a decrease of seven per cent from 2022-23 (67,966 people).

Between 2022-23 and 2023-24 there was a 14 per cent fall in convictions classified as offences, which are generally less serious. By contrast those classified as crimes, which are generally more serious, increased by one per cent. This includes convictions for non-sexual crimes of violence, which rose four per cent, and sexual crimes, which rose 12 per cent.

Convictions for crimes under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 also rose by 19 per cent, from 756 in 2022-23 to 897 in 2023-24, also a new all-time high since the Act’s introduction.

The number of people convicted of a crime with a statutory domestic abuse aggravation decreased four per cent from 7,936 in 2022-23 to 7,640 in 2023-24.

Convictions resulting in a custodial sentence increased by 13 per cent (from 8,930 in 2022-23 to 10,094 in 2023-24). Custodial sentences represented 16 per cent of sentences imposed for all convictions in 2023-24, the second highest proportion in the 10-year span.

The average length of a custodial sentence, excluding life and indeterminate sentences, was 393 days in 2023-24, two per cent longer than in 2022-23 (386 days).

In 2023-24, 25 per cent (15,870) of people convicted were given a community sentence. This was the highest proportion in the 10-year span and a 2 per cent decrease from 2022-23 (16,135 people).

In 2023-24, 27,067 bail orders were made. This was an increase of two per cent from 2022-23 (26,552).