Convictions

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Population and Education, Social Statistics
Iben Birgitte Pedersen
+45 23 60 37 11

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Convictions 2023

The purpose of the statistics is to analyse the number of convictions for criminal offences in connection with offences against the penal code, the road traffic act and other special laws. The statistics on convictions for criminal offences date back to 1832, but are in its present form comparable from 1980 and onwards.

Statistical presentation

The statistics shed light on the number of convictions for violation of the penal code, the road traffic act and other special legislation as well as the length of imprisonments. Convictions consist of imprisonments, fines, withdrawals and also acquittals. The statistics are divided after type of offence, type of conviction, sex, age, municipalities and regions.

Statistical processing

The source of the statistics is The Central Criminal Register - administered by the National Commissioner of the Danish Police. Data are delivered yearly via System-to-system transmission. The data go through a probability check in form of a comparison with data from the previous year, key variables are checked for valid values and irrelevant decisions are deleted. Based on the reported data the length of unsuspended and suspended sentences are calculated.

Relevance

The statistics are used broadly by the authorities, organizations, researchers, the press etc. The tables in the http://www.statbank.dk are used frequently. Views and suggestions from key users are taken into consideration in the preparation of the statistics.

Accuracy and reliability

The reliability of the statistics on convicted criminal offences is considered to be good. The data come from a single administrative register and Statistics Denmark receives a single total extract annually.

The statistics include all convictions registered in the central criminal register at the time the extract is done, typically about February 1st following the relevant year. A number of convictions made during the year will happen not to be registered at that time. That implies that the total number of convictions presumably is under-estimated.

The statistics is only published as final figures.

Timeliness and punctuality

The statistics are published approximately 3 months after the end of the year. The punctuality is very high as the statistics usually are published without delay in relation to the scheduled time.

Comparability

Since 1979, the statistics has been prepared on the same date source. In general the statistics is therefore comparable during time. As a consequence of law amendments or wishes for more information on specific kind of offences the division of type of offences has been altered during the years. An overview of new and ceases type of offences can be found in this annex (in Danish): Development type of offences.

Accessibility and clarity

The statistics are published in: [News from Statistics Denmark]https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/nyt). In StatBank the statistics are published under the subject Convictions. Besides this the statistics form part of Statistical Ten-Year Review and the publication Kriminalitet (Criminality) (danish only). At Statistics Denmark's webpage the statistics furthermore are presented on its Subject page.