Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2011-12. The publication presents statistics on crimes and offences recorded and cleared up by the eight Scottish police forces in 2011-12.

The figures show that the total number of crimes recorded by the police decreased by 3% between 2010-11 and 2011-12.  In 2011-12, the Scottish police recorded 314,186 crimes, 9,061 fewer crimes than in 2010-11.

The main findings include:

• The number of Violent crimes (Non-sexual crimes of violence) recorded by the police decreased by 17% between 2010-11 and 2011-12, to a total of 9,533.
• The number of Sexual offences increased by 10%, from 6,696 in 2010-11 to 7,359, in 2011-12.
• The number of Crimes of dishonesty decreased by 1% to stand at 154,337 crimes, in 2011-12.
• Recorded crimes of Vandalism (including Fire-raising and Malicious mischief) decreased by 8% to total 75,201, in 2011-12.
• Other recorded crimes (including Drug crimes and Crimes against public justice) increased by 1% to total 67,756, in 2011-12.
• The number of crimes of Handling and offensive weapon decreased from 6,283 in 2010-11 to 5,631 in 2011-12, a reduction of 10%.
• The clear-up rate for all recorded crimes in 2011-12 was 49%, which is the same as in the previous three years.
• The clear-up rate in 2011-12 for Non-sexual crimes of violence was higher than in 2010-11, increasing from 72% to 75%. The clear up rate for Sexual offences increased by 1 percentage point. The rates for Crimes of dishonesty, Vandalism (including Fire-raising and Malicious mischief) and Other crimes remained unchanged from those in 2010-11.
• In 2011-12 the police recorded 544,033 offences, an increase of 3% from the number in 2010-11.