Introduction
Crime statistics in Portugal are formally published each year in March/April covering the preceding year. This report published by the Ministry of Internal Administration covers the work and consolidated figures for all the law enforcement services, e.g. the PSP, GNR, Policia Judiciara and SEF. These can be found on the Directorate General for Justice Policy website here
It is important to note that these formal annual reports contain “recorded crime” only. As in any country there is always an element of crime that is not reported.
Interim reports are usually released to the media at certain times of the year by the GNR and PSP covering main crime trends usually as percentage increases or decreases compared with the previous year. For the PSP, the crime trends only represent crime recorded in the major cities such as: Lisbon, Porto and Faro for example. The GNR figures contain data for the remainder of the country for which they are responsible. All these interim figures are subject to adjustment at the close of the year once all the figures have consolidated.
Latest 2021 Annual Internal Security Report (RASI)
Overall crime increased by 0.9% in 2021 compared to 2020, while violent and serious crime decreased by 6.9%, according to the Annual Internal Security Report (RASI) approved today.
The 2021 RASI, approved at the meeting of the Superior Council for Internal Security, reveals that reported crime recorded a slight increase compared to 2020, with 2,597 more crimes.
According to the RASI, in 2021, 301,394 crimes were reported to the security forces and services, 0.9% more than in 2020, when 298,797 were reported.
However, violent and serious crime recorded a decline last year compared to 2020, with 855 fewer.
The RASI accounts for 11,614 violent and serious crimes in 2021, 6.9% less than in 2020, when there were 12,469.
The document highlights that crime, both general and violent and serious, recorded values below the pre-pandemic period, in 2019.
According to the RASI, crimes against property continue to be the most representative within the scope of crime reported to security forces and services, representing 50.2% of the total.
Theft crimes, which in their various forms represent 26.7% of total participations, maintain the downward trend seen in recent years with 3,932 fewer occurrences (-4.66%) compared to 2020.
The RASI also indicates that the crime of domestic violence is the most reported, with 26,520 complaints, despite having registered a reduction of 4% (-915 cases) compared to 2020.
Lisbon (72,183), Porto (47,552), Setúbal (28,679), Faro (20,788) and Braga (18,419) are the districts with the highest absolute number of reported crime and, conversely, Portalegre (3,058), Bragança (3,140), Guarda (3,462), Évora (3,595) and Beja (4,321) have the lowest values.
However, overall crime recorded greater increases in 2021 in Lisbon, 2,190 more (+3.1%), Azores (+735, +7.9%), Beja (+561, +14.9%), Setúbal (+426, +1.5%), Castelo Branco (+361, +7.1%), while the biggest drop occurred in Porto, minus 2,908 (-5.8%), Madeira (-476, -7, 9%), Coimbra (-451, -4.8%), Braga (-442, -2.3%) and Portalegre (-283, -8.5%).
The RASI also reveals that the crime of robbery in its various forms is responsible for 68% of the violent and serious occurrences recorded, the crime of robbery on public roads, theft by stretching and resistance and coercion on an employee representing 65.5% of serious and violent.
Within the scope of violent crime, crimes for extortion rose, with 129 cases (19.5%) and rape, a further 82 cases (+26%).
In the opposite direction, robbery by snatching fell, with 461 cases less (-20.9%), robbery on public roads (-390 cases, -8.3%) and residential robberies by (-148 cases, -22.5%).
As with general crime, the districts of Lisbon (4,619), Porto (1,886), Setúbal (1,234), Faro (707) and Braga (469) have the highest absolute number of violent and serious crime.
Violent crime registered drops in 2021 in the districts of Setúbal, minus 359 (-22.5%), Lisbon (-344, -6.9%), Faro (-144, -16.9%), Aveiro (-57 , -12.5%) and Coimbra (-54, -17.6%), while in Santarém, 48 (+18%), Porto (+32, +1.7%), Azores (+28%, 14.6%) and in Viana do Castelo (+26, 34.2%) increased.
Complete set of statistics for 2021 here
The meeting of the Superior Council for Internal Security was chaired by Prime Minister António Costa.
For previous years please click on the tab below.
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