Crime down in Spain but domestic violence grows

5 August 2004

MADRID – The number of serious crimes committed in Spain fell by 3.4 percent in the first six months of the year, although there was a noticeable increase in cases of domestic violence, according to figures released by the Interior Ministry on Thursday.

Detection rates also improved with the National Police and the paramilitary Civil Guard having resolved 32 percent of the 442,175 cases, up 10.7 percent on the same period last year.

Lesser crimes were also down, by 2.1 percent to 494,802, although the number resolved was 26 percent, 7.4 percent lower than the figure for the first half of 2003.

The National Police, which covers mainly urban areas, and the Guardia Civil, the countryside, carried out 113,039 arrests between them, 9.5 percent more – for serious offences and 6,560, 6.9 percent less, for lesser ones.

Crimes against persons showed the biggest rise, up from 9,522 to 22,742, mainly due to the sharp increase in cases of injuries and ill treatment in the home, which rose by 154 percent to 21,865.

More than 16,300 people were arrested for alleged domestic violence, nearly 10,000 more than in the first six months of 2003.On the other hand, the number of homicides and murders fell by 8.7 percent to 599.

Sex-related crimes also rose, by 7.7 percent to 3,748, including rape cases which showed a 1.9 percent rise to 701.The overall detection rate in this category rose 11.2 percent.

Serious traffic offences dropped by 13.62 percent to 9,682, and drug-trafficking crimes fell 3.2 percent to 5,156.

Thefts of property were also down, by 8.6 percent to 362,230, although the number of cases resolved represented only 18.9 percent, while thefts of cars and contents fell 11 percent and cases of robbery by 10.9 percent.

However, offences against the environment rose by 18.4 percent to 186.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news