1 Introduction
1.1 This bulletin presents statistics on criminal proceedings concluded in Scottish courts during 2004/05. It includes information on the types of crimes and offences for which persons are convicted, sentencing outcomes and the characteristics of convicted offenders. Additional detailed analyses in relation to motor vehicle offences, including alternatives to prosecution and the issue of fixed penalty notices for stationary vehicle offences, are also given. At the request of users and data providers, consulted through the SCOTSTAT Crime and Justice Committee, statistical bulletins in the criminal justice series have been changed to present information on a financial year basis.
1.2 Detailed notes on the statistics used in the bulletin and on the classification of crimes and offences are given in the Annex. These include descriptions of the various sources of information and also of some limitations of the data. Figures are generally quoted to the nearest 100 in the text but are given precisely in the tables.
Chart 1: Penalties imposed in Scottish Courts in 2004/05 and 1995/96
