Offences and victims reported to the police, 2002

Offence for profit is the largest group of offences and has a strong influence on the overall numbers of reported offences. Hence, decline in other subgroups are easily overshadowed by a rise in this group. The number of offences for profit reported to the police rose by 8 per cent. Aggravated larceny increased by 11 per cent, and simple larceny increased by 4 per cent.

Simple larceny has had a steady increase until 2000 but the figures dropped in 2001. Even though there was an increase in 2002, the numbers of offences reported to the police are still lower than it was in both 1999 and 2000. Most of this change is due to more theft of pedal cycles (up 5 per cent) and the "other"category, up 6 per cent. No large changes have taken place in the other subgroups. Despite the increase in theft of pedal cycles in 2002, there has been a steady decline for several years and the numbers are now 23 per cent lower than in 1995 when it reached its maximum.

Aggravated larceny has declined the past seven years, and the rise in 2002 is due to theft from transport means, which has increased by 19 per cent since 2001. Still, theft from transport means is lower than it was during the years 1994-1999. Theft from dwellings has risen by 7 per cent, but the number is likewise still lower than during the years 1991-2000.

Theft of motor vehicles increased by 18 per cent in 2002 and has reached its maximum since 1991.

Fewer narcotics offences

There were 47 500 reported narcotics offences in 2002. This is a decrease of 4 per cent from the previous year, and this is the first time there has been a decrease in narcotics offences. The decrease is particularly due to less reported offences for use of narcotics which dropped from 15 500 in 2001 to 14 000 in 2002, 11 per cent [corrected 19.08.2003]. Even though there has been a decline in the overall figures, serious narcotics crimes have risen by 12 per cent.

The number of narcotics offences reported is highly influenced by how the police work, and the figures indicate that the police have given priority to the most serious offences. However, the change is not dramatic. In spite of the reduction, the numbers are still higher than each year prior to 2001.

More fraud and breach of trust

16 000 offences were reported in 2002. This is a rise of 32 per cent since 2001 and is largely due to more simple fraud which rose from 10 500 cases in 2001 to 13 800 [corrected 19.08.2003] cases in 2002, up 32 per cent [corrected 19.08.2003].

Violence

Violence offences increased by 4 per cent from the previous year. The rise was largely due to the increases in assaults, 7 per cent and threats, 2 per cent.

Environmental crimes

Environmental crimes dropped by 15 per cent. Most of the offences in this category are related to hunting and fishing regulations. Also work environmental crimes declined by 6 per cent.

Offences committed abroad

Some reported offences have been committed abroad either against Norwegian citizens or by Norwegian citizens. The cases have been reported to the police after return to Norway or have been transferred to Norway for further investigation.

There are 922 reported offences committed abroad. Most of these offences have been committed in Denmark and Sweden, 47 per cent, or in popular holyday destinations such as Spain, Italy, Great Britain, France and the Netherlands, 37 per cent. Most of these offences were larceny, 83 per cent.

Police reform in 2002

Since 1 January 2002 the former 54 police districts have been reduced to 27. The reform was followed by a technical re-adjustment in the registration system, STRASAK, which was completed during the last months of the year. Statistics Norway then had to change the routines for producing the statistics on reported offences to the police. These changes are not considered having substantial effect on the statistics. Nevertheless, the changes are of concern for the tables that are grouped by police district, and the information on offences committed abroad.

Tables:

• Table 1 Offences reported to the police, by group of offence and police district. 2002 (Corrected 04.12.03)
• Table 2 Offences reported to the police, per 1000 population, by group of offence and police district (Corrected 04.12.03)
• Table 3 Offences reported to the police, by group of offence and scene of crime (county). Numbers and per 1 000 population(Corrected 04.12.03)
• Table 4 Offences reported to the police, by type of offence. 1991-2002 (Corrected 04.12.03)