Number of sexual offences goes up in 2018

A total of 439,200 offences were recorded by the police, customs and border guard in 2018, which is 800 cases (0.2 per cent) more than in 2017, according to Statistics Finland.

Offences against property numbered 205,100, which is 2.7 per cent fewer cases than in the year before. In all, 7.5 per cent more rapes and 27.8 per cent more cases of sexual harassment were reported than in the year before.

A majority of the reported offences are recorded by the police. During 2018, a total of 788,600 offences and infractions were recorded by the police, which is 6.9 per cent fewer than in 2017. The number of recorded offences against the Criminal Code was 429,600, which is 0.2 per cent more than in 2017. Fines from automatic traffic control are updated into the police PATJA system with a delay of around 80 days, which has an effect on the number of traffic infractions in particular.

The number of assault offences recorded was 33,200, which is 360 cases (1.1 per cent) fewer than in 2017. A total of 1,640 aggravated assaults were recorded, which is 60 cases more than one year earlier. The recorded number of offences against life was 90, which is 17 cases more than in 2017. Attempted homicides numbered 354, which is six cases more than in the year before.

Altogether, 1,338 rapes were recorded, which is 93 cases (7.5 per cent) more than in 2017. The total number of rape offences was in July still below the level of 2017, but in August to September, the number of recorded cases exceeded the level of 2017. The recorded number of sexual abuses of a child was 1,363, which is 16.7 per cent more than in the year before. In addition, 1,019 other sexual offences were reported. Of them, 529 were cases of sexual harassment, which is 115 cases (27.8 per cent) more than in 2017, but as many as in 2016. The recorded numbers of rapes and sexual abuses of a child reported to the authorities vary much yearly. Individual reports of an offence may include a series of incidents comprising several criminal acts.

During 2018, a total of 205,100 offences against property were recorded, which is 5,700 (2.7 per cent) fewer than in the previous year.

A total of 23,800 frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud; Criminal Code, Section 36, Paragraphs 1 to 3) were recorded, which is 1.9 per cent more than in the year before. A total of 1,650 aggravated frauds were recorded, which is 15.3 per cent more than one year earlier.

During 2018, means of payment frauds numbered 6,000, which is 700 cases (10.2 per cent) fewer than in the previous year. The number of aggravated means of payment frauds was 208. The number of means of payment frauds has been on the decline for the past few years. In particular, means of payment frauds committed abroad or from abroad have fallen.

The number of robberies recorded was 1,740, which is six per cent more than during 2017. Of robberies, 311 were aggravated. A total of 3,400 embezzlements and aggravated embezzlements were reported, which is 6.5 per cent more than in 2017.

A total of 122,000 theft offences (theft, aggravated theft, petty theft) were reported, which is 3,400 cases (2.7 per cent) fewer than in 2017. The number of aggravated thefts recorded was 3,050, which is up by 4.5 per cent from the year before. The recorded number of break-ins into houses was 4,900, which is 3.5 per cent more than in 2017. Altogether, 45,300 thefts and petty thefts from shops were recorded, which is 400 cases more than in the year before. Compared with 2009, the number of thefts and petty thefts from shops has fallen by about 15 per cent.

In 2018, the recorded number of unauthorised uses and thefts of a motor vehicle and thefts of a motor vehicle for temporary use was 5,800, which is 4.7 per cent fewer than in the year before. From the early 2000s, the number of these offences has fallen to under one half.

During 2018, damages to property numbered 30,300, which is 3,200 cases (9.5 per cent) fewer than in the previous year. Altogether, 241 aggravated damages to property were reported. The number of damages to property has primarily been falling since 2009, when 50,700 of them were recorded.

The number of recorded cases of drunken driving was 19,100 in 2018, which is 8.2 per cent more than in 2017. Nearly 40 per cent of the recorded drunken driving cases were aggravated drunken driving. A total of 7,300 aggravated drunken driving cases were recorded, which is 3.7 per cent more than in 2017. Basic drunken driving cases increased by 11.1 per cent. Around 60 per cent of basic drunken driving cases were caused by the use of narcotic substances. As recently as 2013, over one-half of all drunken driving cases were aggravated drunken driving.

The number of narcotics offences recorded was 28,900, which is up by 4.1 per cent on the year before. The number of aggravated narcotics offences went down by four per cent. A total of 1,200 of them were recorded. Close on two out of three narcotics offences are use offences. The recorded number was 19,100, which is 12.1 per cent more than during 2017.

In 2018, a total of 3,750 cases of identity theft were recorded, which is 200 cases (5.4 per cent) lower than in 2017. Identity theft was added to the Criminal Code on 4 September 2015 and by the end of 2015, a total of 518 cases of identity theft had been reported.

Altogether, 419,000 cases of endangerment of traffic safety, aggravated endangerment of traffic safety (Criminal Code, Section 23, Paragraphs 1 to 2, 11), hit-and-runs, and other traffic infractions were recorded, which is 56,000 cases (11.8 per cent) fewer than in 2017.