Filenews 24 February 2024
The number of actual cases reported to the Police increased by 18.2% year-on-year in 2022, with the crime rate (per 100,000 inhabitants) rising to 584 compared to 501 in 2021 and 482 in 2020.
According to the Forensic Statistics for 2022, the first place in serious offences was held by offences against property with 39.8% with the second group of offences offences harming the public in general with a percentage of 19.4%
In particular, in 2022, a total of 5,402 cases of serious offences were reported to the Police, of which 5,332 were recorded as real cases, compared to 4,580 cases of serious offences reported in 2021, of which the actual cases recorded numbered4,512.
In both 2022 and 2021, the first place in serious offences is held by the group of offences against property with 39.8% and 37.5% respectively, followed in second place by offences that harm the public in general with 19.4% and 19.5% respectively.
According to the Statistical Service, the serious crime rate (or crime indicator), per 100,000 inhabitants, was calculated at 584 in 2022 and 501 in 2021, compared to 482 in 2020.
Majority of offences against natural persons
Besides, in the 5,332 actual cases of serious offences in 2022, 4,868 victims were recorded, of which 1,053 were legal persons. Of the 3.815 natural persons, 78.3% were Cypriots, 7.2% were nationals of EU-27 countries, while 14.5% were nationals of non-EU-27 countries.
In 2021, out of 4,512 actual cases of serious crime, 4,241 victims were registered, of which 1,037 were legal persons. Of the 3.204 natural persons, 80.7% were Cypriots, 6.6% were nationals of EU-27 countries, while 12.6% were nationals of non-EU-27 countries.
In both years, the majority of legal entities (37.5% in 2022 and 42.3% in 2021) were victims of the group of offences that harm the public in general, while the majority of natural persons (54.7% in 2022 and 52.7% in 2021) were victims of property offences.
Offenders involved in serious offences
A total of 6,917 offenders were involved in committing serious offences (real cases) in 2022. Of the 6,885 natural persons, 961 were women (14.0%), indicating that women's participation in serious crime remains comparatively low compared to that of men.
The main offences committed by both women and men were property offences (36.8% of female offenders and 40.6% of men), while as regards the nationality of the perpetrators who were natural persons, 56.4% were Cypriot and 32.2% were nationals of non-EU-27 countries.
Approximately the same data is presented in 2021. A total of 5,896 offenders were involved in committing serious offences (real cases). Of the 5.877 natural persons, women constituted 12.1%, while 60.8% of all natural persons were Cypriots and 25.2% nationals of non-EU-27 countries. The main offences committed by both men and women were offences against property (37.6% and 26.2% respectively).
Juvenile delinquency
In 2022, a total of 713 minors (under the age of 18) were involved in committing offences, both serious and minor offences, of which 60, or 8.4%, were girls.
345 minors were involved in serious offences, while 368 were involved in minor offences.
Regarding the nationality of juvenile offenders involved in both serious and minor offences, 54.0% were Cypriots, while 27.3% were nationals of EU-27 countries.
In 2021, a total of 528 minors were involved in committing offences, of which 69 were girls (13.1%). 321 minors were involved in serious offenses while 207 were involved in minor offenses.
Regarding the nationality of juvenile offenders involved in both serious and minor offences, 65.9% were Cypriots and 17.4% were nationals of non-EU-27 countries.
Increase in cases heard in the Courts
According to the Statistical Service, the number of persons brought to court whose cases were heard in 2022 amounted to 64.276, of which 50.150 were men and 14.126 women, recording an increase of 9.5% compared to the corresponding values of 2021 which numbered 58.704 persons (46.303 men and 12.401 women). The ratio between the number of persons convicted and the number of persons brought to trial was calculated at 0.58 in 2022 and 0.57 in 2021.
The proportion of women in all persons brought to trial increased over time from 7.2% in 1976 to 15.1% in 1990 and 17.1% in 2010. In 2020 the corresponding percentage reached 22,3%, in 2021 it decreased to 21,1% while in 2022 it increased to 22,0%.
Convictions
The total number of persons convicted in 2022 amounted to 36,984, of whom 28,581 or 77.3% were men. In 2021, 33,563 persons were convicted, of which 25,715 (or 76.6%) were men.
Majority in road traffic offences
In both 2022 and 2021, the majority of convictions were for road traffic offences. More specifically, in 2022, 57.2% of men and 67.0% of women were convicted of traffic offences, while the corresponding values for 2021 concerned 53.4% of men and 59.6% of women convicted.
Prisons
After all, the prison population on September 1, 2022 amounted to 927 persons, 852 men and 75 women.
The vast majority of prisoners (97.0%) were 21 years or older, while 71.3% were convicts and 28.7% undertrials. Cypriot prisoners accounted for 44.8% of the total.
The corresponding values for 2021 were 645 men or a percentage of 91.2% of the total prison population that had risen to 707 persons on September 1, 2021. Prisoners aged 21 and over constituted 95.9% of the total, Cypriots 51.3%, while convicts 72.1%.
Admissions to prison for convicts
In 2022, admissions of convicts to prison amounted to 1,001 (833 men and 168 women), of whom 750 men and 164 women had been convicted of criminal offences by the Criminal Courts and the Military Court. The corresponding figures for 2021 were 727 admissions (624 men and 103 women), of which 568 men and 101 women had been convicted of criminal offences.
The rest had been convicted of offences against the military penal code, or for failing to pay a fine or debt. The number of convict admissions per 100,000 residents aged 16 and over was estimated at 132 in 2022, compared to 97 in 2021. The corresponding indicator for convicts for criminal offences was 121 in 2022 and 90 in 2021.
Length of stay in prison
Most of the sentences handed down in 2022 were up to 18 months and therefore the median length of the prison sentence was estimated at 9.6 months compared to 9.1 months in 2021.
According to the Statistical Office, the actual length of time a prisoner stays in prison, however, is generally shorter than that imposed by the sentence, as it is greatly reduced by pardon.
Therefore, the median length of stay in prison for convicts as a whole, based on 2022 releases, was 4.1 months compared to 3.6 months in 2021 (based on the corresponding number of releases).
Based on the data, of the total admissions of convicts in 2022, most (or more than 85%) had no previous prison sentence.
Of those who had previously served at least one prison sentence, 39.3% had been readmitted to prison within less than 12 months of their previous release from prison. Of these, 58.0% had been convicted of the same group of offences as in their previous prison sentence.
CNA
