Scottish Crime Recording Board

Overview

The Scottish Crime Recording Board has been set up to support the production of accurate and objective statistics on crime in Scotland. The Board ensures that crime data is comprehensive, consistent, transparent and trustworthy. It takes into account the needs of both users and providers in the production of crime statistics and ensures that this process is undertaken in a manner consistent with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

The Board is chaired by the Justice Analytical Services division of the Scottish Government and a wide range of organisations are represented including Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and the Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).

A document setting out further information on the Scottish Crime Recording Board’s remit can be accessed below. This includes details on the Board’s purpose, objectives and functions, its working principles and membership. One of the functions of the Board is the ownership of the ‘Framework of Assurance’ for crime and offence data, ensuring it transparently reflects quality assurance procedures, and to use the FOA to oversee and promote continuous improvement in quality assurance processes.

Another of the Board’s functions is to oversee the maintenance and development of the Scottish Crime Recording Standard and Counting Rules (SCRS), and to approve all changes to them. The manual outlining those rules can be accessed below.

The actions agreed at each Board meeting, and how these were progressed by the following meeting, are available below.

For a simplified explanation and overview of the Scottish Crime Recording Board, please refer to the attached Q and A below. 

Publications