Implications on Policing

Despite there being 10,906 warrants outstanding, Police Scotland continues to execute / resolve a significant proportion of warrants every year. The data above highlights that in 2025, 29,858 warrants were executed / disposed of.

Yet despite these significant efforts by the organisation and individual officers, there remains over 10,000 warrants outstanding. There are a range of factors contributing to this which includes less people attending court, which therefore results in more warrants being issued, alongside measures introduced to address the increasing prison population, such as electronic monitoring of bail, which results in more people being managed in the community.

In addition to these factors, it needs to be recognised that Police Scotland’s workforce has reduced since 2013. At a very basic level, this means there are less police officers available to execute warrants whilst the number of warrants being issued is increasing.

Of course, it is more complex than this and this needs to be considered alongside the wider increasing, more complex demands and threats that Policing needs to respond to as outlined in the Chief Constable’s budget submission to the Criminal Justice Committee.

As outlined at the start of this paper, there is a marked difference in the monthly rate of warrants issued compared to warrants resolved when demand increases from operations and events.

Prevention and intervention is crucial to reduce offending and ensure individuals achieve positive outcomes. The responsibility for this sits across a range of organisations, agencies and authorities, including Policing.

The Policing Our Communities model will ensure the organisation is better structured and resourced to prioritise prevention and thus reduce offending and demand within the criminal justice system, which would include demand from warrants. However, to achieve this requires investment to ensure the organisation can properly resource an enhanced community policing model.

Despite the challenges, Police Scotland continues to execute warrants and ensure that those individuals wanted on warrant who pose the greatest threat and risk are prioritised. This includes resource allocation and prioritisation within Local Policing Divisions but also from national, specialist divisions including Specialist Crime Division.

An internal review has commenced, supported by Audit & Assurance, to ensure a proper understanding and full review of internal processes in relation to the allocation and governance of warrants. This review is intended to identify learning and good practice across the organisation, which can be shared wider, ensure consistency and enhance our approach.

The issuing of warrants is a critical aspect of the criminal justice system, which ensures that those accused of or who have committed crimes and are trying to evade justice are brought before the court. However, failing to appear at court is not always aligned with an intent to evade justice and as outlined earlier in this paper, many people who commit crime have complex needs and vulnerable lifestyles which will contribute to their non-attendance.

Recognising this, Police Scotland is engaged with criminal justice partners in relation to the wider issue of people failing to appear at court to understand what measures could be implemented to create a more effective approach that recognises the lifestyle needs and challenges faced by individuals and secure their attendance at court.