In 1998 the average daily population in Scottish prisons was 6,018, a 1-percent decrease compared to 1997, but still remaining at historically high levels. There were, on average, 938 remand prisoners, 4,281 adult sentenced prisoners, and 712 sentenced young offenders. The average daily female prison population has increased steadily from 143 in 1991 to 175 in 1995; the 192 female inmates in 1998 was a 5-percent increase from 1997. The decrease in the average number of adult prisoners serving sentences of less than 3 months was particularly marked (19 percent) and reflected a large decline in receptions in default of a fine. The proportion of prisoners assigned the highest security category was less than 0.5 percent. The total number of admissions under sentence decreased 11 percent from 1997, due almost entirely to a 22-percent decrease in receptions in default of a fine. There were 2,624 male and 124 female young offenders admitted to correctional institutions under direct sentence, compared with 2,707 males and 77 females in 1997. There were 20,941 breaches of discipline in 1998, with the most common violations involving "disobeying a lawful order." There were 118 prisoners for every 100,000 members of the general population in 1998. 35 tables