What has the SNP done to make Scotland safer?

Scotland is a safer place since the SNP took office, as recorded crime has more than halved since 35 years ago.

Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales, and our police officers have consistently been the best paid in the United Kingdom, at the minimum and the maximum of each rank.

The SNP is investing in policing and other frontline services and helping to deliver a safe, secure and resilient country.

In government we have invested almost £4.6 billion across the justice system in 2026-27. This includes a record £1.7 billion for policing – an increase of around £82 million on 2025-26, to provide the resources needed to support frontline service delivery.

The SNP continue to support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to keep our communities safe, with a higher number of firefighters per head than other parts of the UK.

Projects supporting young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities have received up to £26 million over the next three years from the SNP. Since 2008 CashBack for Communities has invested £156 million and supported around 1.4 million young people across all 32 local authorities in Scotland.

CashBack for Communities is an SNP government initiative which takes funds recovered through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and invests them back into communities. It supports delivery of the Scottish Government’s Vision for Justice in Scotland.

As the Scottish Government the SNP continued to support victims of crime through the Victim Surcharge Fund, by offering organisations that support victims of crime a share of more than £700,000 from a fund financed by penalties imposed on offenders.

More than 5,000 people have benefited from the Victim Surcharge Fund (VSF) since it was set up in 2019, with over £2.4 million awarded to 18 organisations.

The passing of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill was also a historic moment that ensures victims and witnesses are placed at the very heart of the justice system.

The Bill created a new sexual offences court – a specialist, trauma-informed national court designed to ensure such cases are dealt with efficiently and sensitively, while upholding the rights of the accused.