Home > Statistics > Offences known to the police > 2014 > 2nd quarter > Number of offences declined slightly in January to June 2014

Published: 11 July 2014

Number of offences declined slightly in January to June 2014

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, a total of 200,900 offences were recorded by the police, customs and border guard from January to June 2014, which is 1,300 cases (0.6 per cent) fewer than in the corresponding period of one year earlier. The number of property offences recorded was 115,900, which was 4,100 cases (3.7 per cent) more than in 2013. The recorded number of crimes against life and health was 17,000, which is 1,800 cases (9.6 per cent) lower than in the respective period of the previous year. In addition, 189,100 cases of endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions were registered.

Offences and endangerment of traffic safety in 2009 to 2014

Exceeding speed limits towards the end of 2012 were recorded erroneously in the early part of 2013

The number of frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud) has grown considerably over the 2000s. In January to June 2014, a total of 11,800 frauds were recorded, which is 2.9 per cent fewer than in the year before. In the 2000s, the average number of frauds has been 7,300 in January to June. In January to June 2014, a total of 630 aggravated frauds were recorded, which is nine per cent more than one year earlier.

During January to June 2014, means of payment frauds numbered 3,800, which is 100 cases (2.5 per cent) fewer than in the previous year. The recorded number of aggravated means of payment frauds was 61, which is 14 cases fewer than one year earlier. In the 2000s, the average number of means of payment frauds has been 2,000 from January to June.

The number of robberies reported was 800, which was 16.8 per cent more than in January to June 2013, but as much as the average for the previous ten years.

The recorded number of unauthorised uses and thefts of a motor vehicle and thefts of use of a motor vehicle was 3,500, which was 4.2 per cent more than in the January to June period of 2013. From the early 2000s, the number of these offences has fallen by one third.

In January to June 2014, altogether 21,100 damages to property were recorded, which is 4.9 per cent more than the year before. In the 2000s, the average number of means of payment frauds has been 23,200 from January to June.

The number of assault offences recorded was 16,000 during January to June 2014, which was 1,650 cases (9.3 per cent) fewer than in the corresponding period of the year before. In previous years of the 2000s, the average number of assault offences in January to June has been 15,300. Compared with January to June 2013, aggravated assaults went down by 8.6 per cent. A total of 800 of them were recorded. 

In January to June 2014, the number of rapes recorded was 490, against 440 one year earlier. Over the past ten years, the average number of rapes has been 380 in the January to June period. The recorded number of sexual exploitations of a child was 740, which is 24.9 per cent fewer than in the year before. Detected sexual exploitations of a child have increased considerably in recent years. The numbers of rapes and sexual exploitations of a child vary much yearly. Individual reports of an offence may include a series of incidents comprising several criminal acts.

The number of drunken driving was 8,600 in January to June 2014, which is 1.4 per cent down from the corresponding period of the year before. Nearly one-half of the recorded drunken driving cases were aggravated drunken driving. Aggravated drunken driving decreased by 7.9 per cent and other drunken driving increased by 5.2 per cent. Over the last ten years, 11,400 cases of drunken driving were recorded between January and June, on average.

The number of narcotics offences recorded was 10,200, which is down by 8.9 per cent from the year before. The number of aggravated narcotics offences went up by 8.6 per cent. A total of 580 of them were recorded.

The presentation of the statistics was revised as of the beginning of 2009. Endangerment of traffic safety and traffic offences are separated from other offences and they are presented in a separate table. The total number of offences is comparable with earlier figures, because the same division has also been made retrospectively until 1980. The aim of the revision is to improve the comparability of offences between different years and enhance their international comparability. The quality description of the statistics contains annually more detailed information about revisions but it is regrettably only published in Finnish.

From the beginning of 2009, offences recorded by the customs and border guard are also included. The change does not have much effect on the comparability of offences. Of the most common types of offences the change primarily affects the comparability of narcotics offences.

Number of certain types of offences in April, May and June and in January to June 2014 and change from the corresponding period of the previous year

Offence	April		May		June		January-June
	2014	Change	2014	Change	2014	Change	2014	Change
All offences 1)	33,393	630	36,306	-3,065	35,855	-3,859	200,899	-1,310
Burglary	2,764	309	2,995	-56	3,082	60	16,234	1,563
Unauthorised uses and thefts of a motor vehicle, thefts of use of a motor vehicle	590	56	760	-107	795	-56	3,505	140
Robbery	123	23	174	58	144	-11	801	115
Damage to property	3,710	684	3,611	-537	3,300	-836	21,070	978
Manslaughter, murder and killing	7	1	7	1	12	-	52	4
Assault	2,596	15	2,925	-447	2,749	-625	16,002	-1,648
Rape	83	10	75	-1	95	15	486	49
Drunken driving	1,332	8	1,654	-20	1,844	-48	8,580	-125
Narcotics offences	1,764	-71	1,663	-133	1,685	-33	10,185	-989

1) Excl. endangerment of traffic safety, hit-and-run, traffic infraction, violation of social welfare legislation on road traffic, and motor vehicle infraction.

Number of endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions in April, May and June and in January to June 2014 and change from the corresponding period of the previous year

Offence	April		May		June		January-June
	2014	Change	2014	Change	2014	Change	2014	Change
Endangerment of traffic safety, hit-and-run, traffic infraction, violation of social welfare legislation on road traffic and motor vehicle infraction	32,015	-5,983	32,544	-3,579	29,432	-2,518	189,130	-38,137
-exceeding speed limits 1)	21,639	-5,529	23,496	-2,537	20,764	-1,956	129,853	-32,035

1) Cases of exceeding speed limits registered as endangerment of traffic safety, aggravated endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions.

Source: Offences known to the police 2014, 2. quarter

Inquiries: Kimmo Haapakangas 029 551 3252, rikos@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Development of certain types of offences in January to June 2010 to 2014 (preliminary data) (11.7.2014)
• Appendix table 2. Number of endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions in January to June 2010 to 2014 (preliminary data) (11.7.2014)

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Updated 11.7.2014