Offences and victims reported to the police, 2000

After declining in 1999, the number of crimes reported to the police increased by 14 100 and the number of reported misdemeanours rose by 2 600 on a national basis. For Oslo the number of misdemeanours declined by 1 600. The increase in reported offences on a national basis is due to a higher number of reports of motor vehicle thefts, simple and minor larceny, assault and inflicting bodily harm, threats and various forms of drug crimes. The decline in misdemeanours for Oslo is related to the reduction in reported vandalism.

More rapes and attempted rapes

In 2000, 555 rapes and 126 attempted rapes were reported, an increase of 19 and 48 per cent respectively from the year before. The number of reports of immoral conduct towards children between 14 and 16 also rose (from 163 to 191) compared with the year before. On the other hand, reports of incest declined from 153 to 96 in the same period. Both the decline in reported incest cases and the increase in reported rapes and attempted rapes are stronger for Oslo compared with the country as a whole.

During the same year Norway adopted a new sexual crimes act, the number of rapes and attempted rapes was the highest since statistics on reported offences were established in 1991. Incest reports are, however, the lowest registered.

More violence, murder and threats in 2000

In 2000, 1 600 (12 per cent) more crimes of violence against the person were reported compared with the year before. The increase is mainly because 1 100 more assaults and 514 more cases of inflicting bodily harm were reported. During the same period, 49 murders were reported, against 37 the year before. This is the highest number of murders that have been reported since 1991.

Crimes against personal liberty increased dramatically in 2000. Reported threats and force/loss of liberty increased by 22 and 14 per cent respectively compared with the year before. Reported crimes against personal liberty have risen by 143 per cent since 1991.

Compared with the year before, Oslo had a greater increase in reported cases of inflicting bodily harm than the country as a whole. A considerable increase in reported threats and reports of force/loss of liberty was also seen. Twenty-one per cent of all reported violence was registered in Oslo. By comparison, 25 per cent of the total number of crimes were reported in Oslo.

Drug crimes increase

On a national basis drug crime accounts for 10 per cent of all reported offences - nearly double the share of 1995. From 1999 to 2000 the number of reported serious drug crimes increased by 14 per cent while other drug crimes increased by 7 per cent. In the same period the number of reported serious drug crimes increased 29 per cent in Oslo. Reported drug use in Oslo also showed a big increase 11 per cent compared with the county as a whole.

Offences of profit still predominant

Other offences of profit include simple and aggravated larceny, motor vehicle theft, and blackmail and robbery. With an increase of 3 per cent compared with the year before, other offences of profit still account for more than half (53 per cent) of all reported offences in 2000. In Oslo, other offences of profit were even more dominant (61 per cent) for the same period.

Reports of thefts of motor vehicles rose by 12 per cent (from 20 900 to 23 300) from the year before. The change seen in how valuables were previously stolen is supported by the figures for 2000. With the exception of 1993, simple larceny shows an enormous increase in the last 10 years. For example, the number of simple larcenies from cafes and restaurants increased by 24 per cent, simple larceny from shops by 16 per cent, and simple larcenies from cloakrooms increased by 13 per cent compared with the year before.

On the other hand, reports of the more serious forms of larceny have declined in the last five years, with the exception of 1998. Aggravated larceny from apartments, houses and cabins has fallen 12 per cent since 1999.

Furthermore, reported aggravated robberies increased 11 per cent, while blackmailing fell 28 per cent (from 176 to 126) from the previous year. This decline must be seen in connection with the fact that the number of reports in 1999 was high compared with previous years. [corrected 30.01.01]

Reported burglaries rose by 11 per cent (from 4 800 to 5 300) compared with the year before. The rise is connected with Oslos doubling of reported burglaries (from 462 to 940).

More embezzlement, fraud and breach of trust

Economic crime increased by 11 per cent compared with 1999. Recent years have shown that while reported cases of aggravated embezzlement are sinking, reported cases of simple embezzlement are on the increase. After declining for the last three years, fraud and breach of trust rose by 9 per cent in 2000 in relation to the year before. In the same time period counterfeiting and forging of documents rose 26 and 15 per cent respectively. A similar increase in counterfeiting and document forgery was not seen in Oslo, which noted a decline in reported fraud and breach of trust compared with the year before.

Tables:

• Table 1 Offences reported to the police, by type. 1991-2000
• Table 2 Offences reported to the police, by type. Oslo. 1991-2000