The latest National Statistics: Recorded Crime in Scotland bulletin for the year ending June 2022 shows there was a 5% fall in police recorded crime overall compared to the same period last year.

Crime is at the lowest level recorded by police for a 12-month period since 1974 according to the statistics published today. This was primarily driven by a reduction in Coronavirus restrictions crimes.

However the statistics (which cover the period year ending June 2022 and the previous four years) show that recorded crime is 5% lower than before the pandemic in the year ending June 2018 and has fallen by a total of 43% since 2006-07.

The SPA regularly monitors the performance of policing in Scotland via our dedicated Policing Performance Committee.

The SPA is currently assessing policing performance for the financial year 2021-22 as part of its preparation of its Annual Report and Accounts, and the Scottish Government’s recorded crime statistics will be considered as part of that process.