Offences investigated, 2006

Of the completed investigated offences, more than 267 000 were crimes; almost 5 per cent less than in 2005. The largest decrease was in the number of thefts and other crimes for profit, down 11 800 from the year before. The almost 166 000 crimes for profit amounted to 62 per cent of all investigated crimes (see table). This is the lowest number since the 1980s, and the lowest share in the statistics dating back to 1960. The total volume of investigated crimes in 2006 was 18 per cent less than in 2000 when we take into account the population increase (see figure).

Clear-up rate varies for different offences

In 2006 over 187 000 offences were solved, which is a clear-up rate of 49 per cent; the same as the previous year. Crimes of narcotics is the group of offence with the highest clear-up rate, with 90 per cent in 2006. For violence and sexual offences the clear-up rate is lower, with 60 per cent and 54 per cent respectively. The lowest clear-up rate is in cases with offences for profit, where 22 per cent were solved.

As shown in the illustration, there are large variations in how different types of offences are settled. In 2006, 24 per cent of rapes were solved, of which most resulted in a court trial. For 62 per cent, prosecution was dropped because of insufficient evidence, and for 13 per cent of the investigated rapes prosecution was dropped because of insufficient information about the offender. Furthermore, 77 per cent of murders resulted in a trial, and 44 per cent of all cases with use of narcotics ended with a fine.

Young persons, men and Norwegian citizens

Many of the perpetrators are charged with several offences. Of the 85 300 charged persons in 2006, 55 300 were charged with only one offence. The almost 30 000 remaining offenders were taken for 125 200 offences in total.

Sex and age are the clearest dividing lines in the statistics on charged persons. Of all charged persons in 2006, 83 per cent were men, and more than half were under 30 years. The share above 30 years continued to grow in 2006, but young persons around the age of majority were clearly overrepresented (see figure). In 2006, about 6 per cent of residents in the age group 18-20 years were charged with an offence, and the corresponding figure for residents in the age group 30-39 was less than 3 per cent. Of persons charged with crimes, 87 per cent were Norwegian citizens and 96 per cent had registered residence in Norway; the same shares as in the three preceding years.

Fewer charged with theft

A total of 36 000 persons were charged with crimes, while 49 300 were only charged for misdemeanours in 2006. This is about the same number of persons charged with crimes as the two preceding years, and 19 per cent more charged with only misdemeanours than in 2002. Although the total number of persons charged with crimes was stable in this three-year period, there were relatively large changes in the types of principal offence the charged persons had. For example, there were 20 per cent fewer persons charged with theft as a principal offence in 2006 than in 2004.

Amongst the persons charged with crimes in 2006, 29 per cent had a narcotics crime as a principal offence. Of the persons only charged with misdemeanours, 60 per cent had a traffic misdemeanour¹ as a principal offence (excluding on-the-spot fines, see statistics on Sanctions ).

Many charged persons with recidivism

The statistics on recidivism among residents in Norway shows that almost half of the 77 400 charged persons in 2001 where charged at least once during the succeeding five-year period (2002-2006). More than a quarter had an instance of recidivism in more than one of the years.

¹Text corrected 8 March 2011. "misdemeanour against the police regulations" was changed to "traffic misdemeanour".