Statistical presentation

Data description

The statistics on reported criminal offences form part of the Danish System of Criminal Statistics. The System of Criminal Statistics includes data on criminal cases from the reported offences and charges to the convictions plus arrests and imprisonments. The statistics on reported criminal offences is a case statistics and shows the number of offences of criminal code and special laws/legislation (except the Road Traffic Act) reported to the police plus a further specification if charges have been raised in connection with the reported offence. The reported offence is identified by a journal number which can be used by linking to other areas of the crime statistics. Other key variables are the code number of the reported criminal offence, the date and place (municipality) of the criminal offence and the data of charge, if a charge has been raised against a person or a firm.

Classification system

These statistics are divided by municipalities and regions plus grouping of the codes of the criminal offences. A distinction is made between the criminal code and special law/legislation.

The criminal code is divided into four subgroups: Sexual offences, Crimes of violence, Offences against property and Other offences. The most special laws/legislation are referred to as single acts, while the rest are categorized as Other special laws/legislations. The grouping can be found under Violations of the penalcode.

The provisions of the Danish Criminal Code regarding sexual offences went through essential amendments taking effect from 1 July 2013. The amendments resulted in e.g. more categories of sexual offences than previously being placed under the provisions about rape (section 216). See more: Rape

Sector coverage

Not relevant for these statistics.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Reported criminal offence: A violation of the law which has been reported or by other ways has come to the knowledge of the police.

Type of offence: Type of offence describes the kind of the reported offence. The criminal offences are divided into the criminal code and special law/legislation. Violations of the criminal code are grouped in sexual offences, crimes of violence, offences against property and other offences. The most special laws/legislation are referred to as single acts, while the rest are categorized as Other special laws/legislations. The grouping can be found under Violations of the penalcode.

Criminal charge: A reported criminal offence is termed a criminal offence with a charge, when the police has raised a charge, regardless of the later legal outcome of the charge.

Statistical unit

The unit in the statistics is the criminal case - here as a reported criminal offence. A violation of the law committed by more than one person is registered as one offence only - and if a violation of the law includes more than a single victim it will also be registered as one offence. If more than one person has reported the violation of the law to the police, more than one reported criminal offence can in exceptional cases be registered.

Statistical population

Violations of the criminal code and the special laws (except the Road Traffic Act) in Denmark (except the Faroe Islands and Greenland), which has been reported or discovered by the police itself.

Reference area

Denmark, except the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

Time coverage

The statistics has been produced on the present basis since 1995.

Base period

Not relevant for these statistics.

Unit of measure

Number

Reference period

01-01-2023 - 31-12-2023

Frequency of dissemination

The statistics are published annually.

Legal acts and other agreements

The Act on Statistics Denmark § 6. There is no EU Regulation related to the statistics on reported criminal offences

Cost and burden

There is no response burden as the data are collected via registers.

Comment

Reported criminal offences have a Subject page