Number of sexual offences goes up by 15% in 2019

A total of 334,796 offences were reported across the country in 2019, which is about four percent or 13,500 higher than in 2018.

This number contains all criminal law offences with the exception of traffic offences, said a press issued by National Police Board.

According to statistics, narcotics offences and sex offences have seen a particularly severe increase in comparison to the previous year.

About 14 per cent more aggravated narcotics offences and about 15 per cent more sexual offences came to the knowledge of the police in 2019 than in the previous year.

“Narcotics and various degrees of mixing alcohol and narcotics are often in the background of many incidents such as disorderly conduct and various offences against life, health and property. Increased narcotics use also has an inevitable impact on traffic safety, which is seen particularly as narcotics-related cases of driving while intoxicated,” National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen said.

The number of fraud cases reported to the police grew by approximately 13 per cent, or by more than 4,200 incidents.

The number of internet-based fraud cases grew proportionally more, increasing by over 21 per cent.

There were more than 2,600 offences of this nature, meaning that a significant portion of the increase in fraud cases was the result of internet-based crimes.

“Many of the growing number of fraud crimes are directed at the elderly, meaning people who are 65 years of age or older. They have been scammed in different ways, including prying for PIN codes in association with card purchases, followed by the theft and criminal use of the card in question at cash dispensers and other places to steal the money from their accounts,” Kolehmainen added.

Meanwhile, Homicides and burglaries are the offences that have seen the greatest percental decrease since the previous year.

In 2019, a total of 74 homicides were committed, whereas the previous year saw 88 homicides. That is a decrease of more than 15 per cent. The downwards trend in the number of homicides has been evident for a long time.

Similarly, cases of theft have been in an almost-continuous downwards trend since the mid-1990s. However, in 2019, the number of most types of theft cases increased somewhat.

Kolehmainen,said there are many challenges over the horizon for the security environment – some already coming into view – including rising crime rates, police operations to uphold public order and security, traffic safety and investigation of offences.

“Challenges include the state of multiple deprivation many offenders are in, the increasing disparity between different communities and individuals, social marginalisation and the increasing opportunities for crime created by technology,” Kolehaminen added.