Home > Statistics > Statistics on offences and coercive measures > 2018 > Coercive measures > Number of coercive measures on level with the previous year

Published: 28 February 2019

Number of coercive measures on level with the previous year

According to Statistics Finland's data, the police, customs and border guard used coercive measures 195,100 times in 2018, which was 600 coercive measures (0.3 per cent) fewer than in the previous year. In terms of numbers, apprehensions based on the Police Act decreased most. In all, 8.8 per cent more examinations of state of intoxication and 7.4 per cent more searches of data contained in a device were made than in the previous year.

Coercive measures of the police, customs and border guard in 2009 to 2018

In 2018, the police used coercive measures 187,800 times. This is 96 per cent of all coercive measures used. The customs used coercive measures 5,400 times (three per cent) and the border guard 1,900 times (one per cent). The share of the customs and the border guard were small in all main coercive measure groups. The customs and the border guard performed close on one-fifth of confiscations.

Coercive measures against freedom

In 2018, a total of 22,200 apprehensions were made, which is 700 cases (three per cent) fewer than in the year before. The number of arrests made was 8,500, down by 300 cases (3.6 per cent) from one year earlier. The number of remands was 2,100, which is 40 cases (1.9 per cent) fewer than in 2017. Altogether, 550 travel bans were imposed, which is 18.8 per cent more than in 2017, when exceptionally few travel bans were imposed.

At the beginning of 2016, a coercive measure concerning detention of foreigners entered into force. In 2018, a total of 1,550 such detentions of foreigners were recorded, which is 4.6 per cent more than one year earlier. The most common reason for the detention of a foreigner was that a foreigner would hinder the preparation and enforcement of decision-making concerning him or her by hiding or running or in some other way. This was the basis for around 2,500 cases. Another common reason for detention was that a foreigner was suspected of a crime and detention is necessary to ensure the preparation or enforcement of the decision on deportation. This reason was used around 1,800 times. One coercive measure can contain several grounds, so the number of grounds is higher than the number of actual coercive measures. Altogether 8,800 grounds were used in 1,500 detentions of foreigners last year. The detention of a foreigner is not necessarily criminally based, but a foreigner can be detained without suspicion of a crime.

The number of intoxicated persons taken into custody has fallen in recent years. In 2018, the number of intoxicated persons taken into custody was 51,800. This is 2,800 cases (5.1 per cent) fewer than in 2017. Taking intoxicated persons into custody is a coercive measure based on the Police Act, where the object of the coercive measure is usually not suspected of an offence but the coercive measure is used to ensure the safety of the person or his or her environment.

Coercive measures against freedom by sex in 2018

A majority of coercive measures against freedom were directed at Finnish citizens. Apprehensions based on the Police Act are often taking intoxicated persons into custody, but this group also includes other temporary apprehensions to ensure that domestic or public premises are not invaded. Information on nationality is based on Statistics Finland’s register data. If there are no register data, police records are used.

Coercive measures against freedom by nationality 2017 and 2018

	Total		Apprehension based on the Police Act		Apprehension		Arrest		Remand		Detention of a foreigner
	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018	2017	2018
Total	89,907	86,114	54,600	51,789	22,890	22,200	8,783	8,468	2,143	2,103	1,491	1,554
Finland	75,825	72,230	49,049	46,446	18,246	17,492	6,976	6,788	1,554	1,504	0	0
Estonia	3,013	3,400	1,382	1,493	1,097	1,225	258	331	62	105	214	246
Iraq	1,779	1,453	657	441	602	558	225	169	60	43	235	242
Romania	1,145	1,018	286	218	335	353	278	209	99	76	147	162
Russian Federation	1,000	1,019	382	427	349	334	151	149	51	42	67	67
Somalia	797	815	600	551	142	169	34	44	3	12	18	39
Sweden	523	550	259	317	144	155	85	53	31	21	4	4
Afghanistan	488	409	214	161	137	124	42	43	8	17	87	64
Gambia	296	432	23	11	138	207	33	58	8	15	94	141
Latvia	261	325	112	169	100	109	28	28	11	6	10	13
Lithuania	267	252	61	79	78	73	74	55	43	24	11	21
Bulgaria	172	237	57	68	51	96	39	30	8	14	17	29
Belarus	235	197	22	22	100	79	53	38	9	9	51	49
Georgia	217	205	22	17	84	83	43	28	15	19	53	58
Unknown	212	151	118	104	56	28	10	6	3	2	25	11
Poland	206	159	115	85	53	48	24	15	6	5	8	6
Morocco	201	155	41	64	74	43	26	17	10	10	50	21
Ukraine	137	181	48	45	53	70	24	41	2	6	10	19
Without citizenship	176	160	63	55	70	52	13	22	2	12	28	19
Islamic Republic of Iran	156	158	46	55	47	53	37	19	18	8	8	23
Algeria	147	63	33	10	57	27	16	6	7	2	34	18
Turkey	143	92	35	24	60	37	16	14	4	8	28	9
Nigeria	142	126	10	16	60	52	15	11	7	3	50	44
Syrian Arab Republic	116	124	53	39	36	47	15	23	5	7	7	8
Albania	108	85	5	8	35	23	24	18	19	17	25	19
Other	2,145	2,118	907	864	686	663	244	253	98	116	210	222

Other coercive measures

At the beginning of 2014, new coercive measures came into force: search of data contained in a device and search of premises. A search of data contained in a device refers to a search directed to the data content contained in a computer, a terminal end device or in another corresponding technical device or information system. In 2018, altogether 6,400 searches of data contained in a device were performed, which is 7.4 per cent more than in 2017. A search of premises refers to a search conducted elsewhere than in a public place but not a domicile. Searches of premises numbered 7,300, most of which were carried out to find an object or property to be confiscated or to clarify an offence. Compared with the previous year, 6.8 per cent more searches of premises were performed.

The number of bodily searches and physical examinations and possible confiscations related to them increased by 1.3 per cent from the previous year. Their number was 29,900 in 2018. Physical examinations were done to determine the DNA profile of a suspect and to detect consumption of alcohol or other narcotics. Confiscations and house searches possibly made in their connection numbered 38,600, which is 800 cases (2.2 per cent) more than in the year before. The number of confiscations and house searches has decreased considerably compared to 2013 as part of them are now recorded as searches of premises or searches of data contained in a device.

The number of enforced restraining orders continued to fall. Altogether, 1,300 restraining orders were enforced in 2018, which is 14.7 per cent fewer than one year earlier and 17.7 per cent fewer than in 2016.

A total of 25,800 coercive measures were directed at women, i.e. 13.2 per cent of all coercive measures. Women's shares were small in all types of coercive measures. Of the coercive measures directed at women, 29 per cent were taking intoxicated persons into custody and 14.7 per cent were physical examinations and confiscations. Around seven per cent of coercive measures were not directed at persons but, for example, at legal persons or premises.

Examinations to detect narcotics use have increased

In all, 7,600 examinations of state of intoxication with a precision breathalyser were recorded in 2018, which was 300 cases (3.7 per cent) more than in 2017. The number of examinations of state of intoxication with a blood test was 13,600 in 2018, which was 1,100 cases (8.8 per cent) more than in 2017. Examinations of state of intoxication in order to detect narcotics use increased by 14.1 per cent and examinations to determine the blood alcohol level increased by 2.8 per cent from 2017.

Investigations of drunken driving in 2013 - 2018

	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Breath alcohol	9,597	8,528	8,206	7,790	7,369	7,638
Request to examine state of intoxication	11,000	11,345	11,538	11,662	12,456	13,554
Of which
...Blood alcohol	7,669	7,228	6,705	6,578	6,493	6,678
...Narcotics	4,504	5,254	6,123	6,555	7,665	8,742
...Consumption after driving	1,899	1,734	1,644	1,461	1,365	1,386
...Theoretical statement on state of intoxication	344	261	237	199	192	184
...Alcohol back calculation	1,051	882	778	692	604	596

The database tables describing coercive measures have been revised in connection with the release on 28 February 2019. They contain further information on the duration of apprehensions, arrests and remands as well as more detailed information on the grounds for coercive measures.

The statistics on Offences known to the police and on Coercive measures were combined in March 2015. Data released prior to that can be found on the old home pages of the statistics. The web pages of the statistics on Offences known to the police: http://www.stat.fi/til/polrik/index_en.html and of the statistics on Coercive measures: http://stat.fi/til/pkei/index_en.html

Source: Statistics on offences and coercive measures 2018. Statistics Finland

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

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (240.4 kB)

Tables

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Persons apprehended, arrested and remanded by age in 2018 (28.2.2019)

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Updated 28.2.2019