Report detail

A copy of the External Executive Summary from the report on Police Scotland’s Scottish Crime Recording Standard (SCRS) Crime Audit 2023/24 is available at Appendix A.

The Scottish Crime Recording Standard (SCRS) was introduced in Scotland on 1 April 2004, the aim is "to provide a more victim orientated approach that serves the needs of our communities and ensures uniformity in crime recording practices throughout Scotland".

Conducted by the PS Crime Registrars, this audit marks the first SCRS crime compliance audit to be conducted since the implementation of the National Crime System (UNIFI), which has enabled a more in-depth assessment of information accuracy across Incident, Crime and Case systems. Such detailed insights were previously unattainable due to the constraints of legacy systems, as a result, this audit has established a baseline for future assessments.

This audit demonstrates PS commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence, providing assurance that recording practices align with national standards, and it identifies areas where targeted improvements are required. It also supports transparency and accountability reinforcing public confidence in how crime is reported and recorded.

A sample of records were audited in each Division, a 95% confidence level was used which is accurate to a confidence interval of ± 3%, over a specific period. Compliance is achieved with a result of 95% or above and the audit was conducted on incidents and crimes from Quarter 4 (January to March 2023/24).

Refer to Appendix A – Scottish Crime Recording Standard (SCRS) Crime Audit 2023-24 External Executive Summary