EUROSTAT
Directorate D: Single Market, Employment and Social Statistics /
Doc. ESTAT/D6/CR/04
existing sources at international level
task force, statistics on crime, criminal justice and victimisation
luxembourg, 30 may- 1 june 2005
bechbuilding, room B2/464
Commission européenne, L-2920 Luxembourg. Telephone: (352)43011.
Office: BECH D4/720. Telephone: direct line (352)4301 34198 Fax: (352)4301 34415.
National sources
The situation concerning national data on crime varies considerably between Member States, so that it is only possible to make some generalised remarks. In most countries, data are collected and published by police and prison authorities, and by government ministries. In addition, national statistical offices usually offer some information about crime, but the degree of co-operation between these agencies is not uniform. Comparability between different sources seems to be a problem at national level, so this will obviously be exacerbated when statistics from different countries are compared.
International
Problems of comparability are the most obvious concern of international collections of crime statistics. The most frequently used collections are summarised below.
Interpol
Interpol has compiled crime statistics since 1950. The Interpol General Secretariat merely reproduces the information sent by the national police services. The information is therefore not processed, but is classified according to category of offence. The data is not intended to be used as a basis for comparisons between different countries since the statistics cannot take into account the differences between definitions of punishable acts in different national laws, the diversity of statistical methods or the changes which may occur during the reference period. Interpol statistics also contain information about the number of police in each country. Reports are produced annually. The statistical area of the Interpol website is currently available only to authorised police users. :
UN Crime Survey
This collection exists since 1976 and consists of responses to questionnaires sent to countries. Government agencies in each responding country provide official data on crimes adjusted to standard definitions. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna reproduces the figures and carries out basic verification of data with the assistance of experts. The statistics cannot take into account differences between the legal definitions of offences nor different counting procedures, etc. There have been eight surveys to date; most EU countries have replied to most of the surveys (20 to the eighth survey). Data for the eighth survey (2001-02) were published in April 2005. The ninth survey (2003-2004) will be launched later in 2005. Data are available on
UK Home Office annual data collection
The UK Home Office collected and published data on police statistics through contacts mainly in government departments in a number of countries including all EU Member States. Figures were published in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin, International Comparisions of Criminal Justice Statistics. Currently this collection is no longer being maintained. The Home Office has provided the existing data to Eurostat and it has been agreed to investigate ways of extending this collection further.
European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics
A group of experts convened by the Council of Europe at the beginning of the 1990s developed a model for collection of statistics on crime and criminal justice from all Council Member States. Reports were published in 1999 and 2003. A standard definition is provided for the offences covered and respondents are asked to indicate deviations from this definition in a systematic way. The published Sourcebook contains rates per 100,000 inhabitants and proportions (for example, of young offenders, female offenders, aliens) for police statistics. It also gives the results of the technical parts of the questionnaire (Deviations from the standard definition of offences, counting units, changes in data collection). Technical information and data are available on The tables included in the 2003 Sourcebook are listed in the annex.
International Crime Victimisation Survey
Currently the ICVS is organised by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), based in Turin within a working group composed by several Member States, research institutions and UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime). The ICVS started in 1989 and has been repeated four times. The fifth wave is currently in progress; the questionnaire is available at Data from the previous four waves can be downloaded from . The coverage of countries is irregular; 6 EU Member States did not participate in the last wave, and some have not participated in any wave. Samples are small compared with national surveys organised by some national statistical offices, and this may affect data reliability. The ICVS is conducted by relevant Government agencies in participating countries, with data collection generally done by commercial organisations (CATI method). Only the Slovenian statistical office regularly conducts the ICVS as part of its work programme. For the current wave, financial support for the ICS (EU-version of the ICVS) has been provided by the European Commission (15 ‘old’ Member States only), while 6 new Member States will participate through local funding .
Eurobarometer
Since 1973 standard Eurobarometer surveys have been approximately biannual. Reports are available at Because of the small sample size (1000 individuals in most countries) there is a wide sampling error on estimates. At some periods, questions on fear of crime and perceptions of risk have been included. Flash Eurobarometer reports may be specially commissioned; No. 155 (March 2004) covered Justice and Home Affairs, including crime policy.
ANNEX
TABLES IN THE EUROPEAN SOURCEBOOK OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE STATISTICS (2003 EDITION)
1.2.1.1 Offences per 100,00 population – Criminal offences: Total
1.2.1.2 Offences per 100,00 population – Criminal offences: Traffic offences
1.2.1.3 Offences per 100,00 population – Intentional homicide: Total
1.2.1.4 Offences per 100,00 population – Intentional homicide: Completed
1.2.1.5 Offences per 100,00 population – Intentional homicide according to Health Statistics
1.2.1.6 Offences per 100,00 population – Assault
1.2.1.7 Offences per 100,00 population – Rape
1.2.1.8 Offences per 100,00 population – Robbery
1.2.1.9 Offences per 100,00 population – Theft : Total
1.2.1.10 Offences per 100,00 population – Theft : Theft of a motor vehicle
1.2.1.11 Offences per 100,00 population – Theft : Burglary : Total
1.2.1.12 Offences per 100,00 population – Theft : Burglary : Domestic Burglary
1.2.1.13 Offences per 100,00 population – Drug Offences : Total
1.2.1.14 Offences per 100,00 population – Drug Offences : Drug trafficking
1.2.2.1 Offenders per 100,00 population – Criminal offences: Total
1.2.2.2 Offenders per 100,00 population – Criminal offences: Traffic offences
1.2.2.3 Offenders per 100,00 population – Intentional homicide : Total
1.2.2.4 Offenders per 100,00 population – Intentional homicide : Completed
1.2.2.5 Offenders per 100,00 population – Assault
1.2.2.6 Offenders per 100,00 population – Rape
1.2.2.7 Offenders per 100,00 population – Robbery
1.2.2.8 Offenders per 100,00 population – Theft: Total
1.2.2.9 Offenders per 100,00 population – Theft: Theft of a motor vehicle
1.2.2.10 Offenders per 100,00 population – Theft: Burglary : Total
1.2.2.11 Offenders per 100,00 population – Theft: Burglary : Domestic Burglary
1.2.2.12 Offenders per 100,00 population – Drug Offences : Total
1.2.2.13 Offenders per 100,00 population – Drug Offences : Drug trafficking
1.2.3.1 Percentage of female offenders
1.2.3.2 Percentage of minors among offenders
1.2.3.3 Percentage of aliens among offenders
1.2.4.1 Police staff : Number of police officers per 100,000 population
1.2.4.2 Police staff : Number of civilians per 100,000 population
2.2.1 Output : Total number of cases disposed of per 100,000 population
2.2.2.1 Output : Cases brought before a court per 100,000 population
2.2.2.2 Sanctions imposed by prosecutor per 100,000 population
2.2.2.3 Sanctions negotiated between prosecutor and defendant per 100,000 population
2.2.2.4 Proceedings dropped : Total per 100,000 population
2.2.2.5 Other disposals : Total per 100,000 population
2.2.3 Proceedings where offender is unknown per 100,000 population
2.2.4.1 Staff of prosecuting authority : Total number of employees per 100,000 population
2.2.4.2 Staff of prosecuting authority : Number of prosecutors per 100,000 population
3.2.1.1 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Criminal offences: Total
3.2.1.2 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Criminal offences: Traffic offences
3.2.1.3 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Intentional homicide: Total
3.2.1.4 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Intentional homicide: Completed
3.2.1.5 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Assault
3.2.1.6 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Rape
3.2.1.7 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Robbery
3.2.1.8 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Theft: Total
3.2.1.9 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Theft: Theft of a motor vehicle
3.2.1.10 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Theft: Burglary: Total
3.2.1.11 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Theft: Burglary: Domestic Burglary
3.2.1.12 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Drug offences: Total
3.2.1.13 Persons convicted per 100,000 population – Drug offences: Drug trafficking
3.2.2.1 Percentage of females convicted
3.2.2.2 Percentage of minors among persons convicted
3.2.2.1 Percentage of aliens among persons convicted
3.2.3.1 Types of sanctions/measures – Criminal offences: Total
3.2.3.2 Types of sanctions/measures – Criminal offences: Traffic offences
3.2.3.3 Types of sanctions/measures – Intentional homicide: Total
3.2.3.4 Types of sanctions/measures – Intentional homicide: Completed
3.2.3.5 Types of sanctions/measures – Assault
3.2.3.6 Types of sanctions/measures – Rape
3.2.3.7 Types of sanctions/measures – Robbery
3.2.3.8 Types of sanctions/measures – Theft: Total
3.2.3.9 Types of sanctions/measures – Theft: Theft of a motor vehicle
3.2.3.10 Types of sanctions/measures – Theft: Burglary: Total
3.2.3.11 Types of sanctions/measures – Theft: Burglary: Domestic Burglary
3.2.3.12 Types of sanctions/measures – Drug offences: Total
3.2.3.13 Types of sanctions/measures – Drug offences: Drug trafficking
4.2.1.1 Prison population per 100,000 population: Stock - Total
4.2.1.2 Prison population : % of pre-trial detainees in the total Stock
4.2.1.3 Prison population : % of females in the total Stock
4.2.1.4 Prison population : % of aliens in the total Stock
4.2.1.5 Prison population : % of minors in the total Stock
4.2.2.1 Prison population per 100,000 population: Flow - Total
4.2.2.2 Prison population : % of pre-trial detainees in the total Flow
4.2.2.3 Prison population : % of females in the total Flow
4.2.2.4 Prison population : % of aliens in the total Flow
4.2.2.5 Prison population : % of minors in the total Flow
4.2.3.1 Convicted prison population by offence : total per 100,000 of population
4.2.3.2 Convicted prison population percentage of females by offence
4.2.3.3 Convicted prison population percentage of minors by offence
4.2.3.4 Convicted prison population percentage of aliens by offence
4.2.4.1 Persons under supervision per 100,000 of population - Stock
4.2.4.2 Persons under supervision : % of suspended sentence in total Stock
4.2.4.3 Persons under supervision : % of probation in total Stock
4.2.4.4 Persons under supervision : % of parole or conditional release in total Stock
4.2.5.1 Persons under supervision per 100,000 of population - Flow
4.2.5.2 Persons under supervision : % of suspended sentence in total Flow
4.2.5.3 Persons under supervision : % of probation in total Flow
4.2.5.4 Persons under supervision : % of parole or conditional release in total Flow
4.2.6.1 Community service per 100,000 population: Stock - Total
4.2.7.1 Community service : Flow per 100,000 population - Total
Victimisation (ICVS)
5.2.1 Persons victimised by assault and sexual assault, % of surveyed population
5.2.2 Households victimised by burglary, theft of car, theft from car, % of surveyed population
5.2.3 Persons victimised by robbery, pickpocketing, personal theft, % of surveyed population
5.2.4 Percentage reported to police related to last incident per offence type
5.2.5 Seriousness of crimes as perceived by victims
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