Govt Reports

This report presents information about religiously aggravated offending in Scotlandin 2016-17 based on a review of police charges issued under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003. The Act states that an offence is aggravated by religious prejudice if:

a) at the time of committing the offence or immediately before or after doing so, the offender evinces towards the victim (if any) of the offence malice and ill-will based on the victim’s membership (or presumed membership) of a religious group, or of a social or cultural group with a perceived religious affiliation; or

b) the offence is motivated (wholly or partly) by malice and ill-will towards members of a religious group, or of a social or cultural group with a perceived religious affiliation, based on their membership of that group.