12. February 07
According to the summary of the crime statistics in 2006 prepared by the Ministry of Justice, crime in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />
Estonia is back to the level preceding the rise in 1999.
In 2006 51,843 crimes were registered in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Estonia, which is 7% or 3,752 crimes less than last year. Crimes of the first degree accounted for 5% thereof (2,688), which is 10% less than in 2005.
According to Martin Hirvoja, the Deputy Secretary-General on Criminal Policy of the Ministry of Justice, crimes against property accounted for the largest portion of the crimes (63%). “I am pleased to note that the number of robberies has decreased considerably,” said Hirvoja. “However, the rise in causing serious physical harm, embezzlements and environmental crimes is obviously a concern,” he admitted.
Justice Minister Rein Lang emphasised that a decrease in crime can be noticed in the case of types of crime according to which the level of crime is usually evaluated: killings and robberies. “There may be situations where a specific type of crime decreases, but in that case it can usually be attributed to the entry into force of a new act or establishment of a new priority," explained Lang. “The number of killings and robberies is what characterises the crime in a state the best."
According to the State Register of Criminal Matters the proprietary damage caused by crimes in 2006 amounted to EEK 467,399,863, according to the victims' estimates of the damage. According to Hirvoja, over 90% of the damage was caused by crimes against property. "At the same time the proprietary damage caused by crimes against the environment amounted to nearly EEK 10 million, economic crimes to nearly EEK 5.6 million and crimes dangerous to public to EEK 4.7 million,” listed Hirvoja.
The proprietary damage caused by violation of the obligation to provide maintenance to the child amounted to EEK 6.2 million.
The residents of Harju County, especially of Tallinn are the most threatened by crime – the crime rate per capita is the highest there. 27,233 crimes were registered in Harju County, 6,222 in Ida-Viru County and 4,973 in Tartu County in 2006. The number of crimes was the lowest in Hiiu County: 131.
Persons aged 18-24 formed the largest group of the suspects (30%), followed by persons aged 30-39 (20%) and minors (17%). Most of the crimes were committed by men: only 1 in every 10 suspects of a crime was a woman.
47% of the crimes registered in 2006 were given the final procedural decision.
As of January 1 this year Estonian custodial institutions accommodated 4,310 persons, including 41 minors, which means approx. 333 imprisoned persons per 100,000 residents. The average length of imprisonment was 5 years and only 13% of imprisoned persons served a sentence for the first time.
