A criminalidade na União Europeia

Crimes recorded by the police: Total crime These figures include offences against the penal (or criminal) code. Less serious crimes (misdemeanours) are generally excluded.

Prison population - Total number of adult and juvenile prisoners (including pre-trial detainees) at 1 September - Including offenders held in Prison Administration facilities, other facilities, juvenile offenders institutions, drug addicts institutions and psychiatric or other hospitals. Excluding non-criminal prisoners held for administrative purposes (for example, people held pending investigation into their immigration status).

Crimes recorded by the police: Drug trafficking - Drug trafficking includes illegal possession, cultivation, production, supplying, transportation, importing, exporting, financing etc. of drug operations which are not solely in connection with personal use. (tráfico de drogas)

Crimes recorded by the police: Domestic burglary - Domestic burglary is defined as gaining access to a dwelling by the use of force to steal goods. (assaltos domésticos)

Crimes recorded by the police: Homicide - This is defined as intentional killing of a person, including murder, manslaughter, euthanasia and infanticide. Attempted (uncompleted) homicide is excluded. Causing death by dangerous driving, abortion and help with suicide are also excluded. Unlike other offences, the counting unit for homicide is normally the victim. (homicídios)

Crimes recorded by the police: Theft of a motor vehicle - Motor vehicles include all land vehicles with an engine that run on the road which are used to carry people (including cars, motorcycles, buses, lorries, construction and agricultural vehicles, etc.) (roubo de veículos a motor)

Crimes recorded by the police: robbery is a sub-set of "violent crime" . It is defined as stealing from a person with force or threat of force, including muggings (bag-snatching) and theft with violence. Pick-pocketing, extortion and blackmailing are generally not included.

Crimes recorded by the police: Violent crime - These figures include violence against the person (such as physical assault), robbery (stealing by force or by threat of force), and sexual offences (including rape and sexual assault).

Principais conclusões

• É possível comparar as tendências do total da criminalidade ao longo do período 1998-2007 em metade dos estados-membros da UE. A criminalidade aumentou de 1999 para atingir um pico em 2002, mas tem diminuído constantemente nos últimos cinco anos;

• Os tipos de criminalidade que têm caracterizado cada vez mais os registos na polícia incluem a criminalidade violenta (até 3%), tráfico de drogas e roubo (ambos até 1%), no período 1998-2007;

• Tipos de crime que se tornaram menos prevalecentes incluem propriedade, tais como roubo de veículos (redução de 7%) e assaltos domésticos (descida de 3%) durante o período 1998-2007;

• A taxa anual de homicídios registados pela polícia no período de 2005 a 2007 foi cerca de 1,4 por 100 000 habitantes, mas maior nas cidades-capitais (média 1,9);

• A população prisional tem vindo a aumentar por cerca de 1% ao ano no período 1998-2007 para chegar a uma taxa média nos Estados-Membros da UE de 123 presos por 100.000 habitantes para os anos 2005-2007;

• O número de policias nos Estados-Membros se manteve praticamente inalterado ao longo do período 1998-2007.