The number of registered crimes is falling and the clear-up rate has reached a new high. But when it comes to abuse and child pornography, Interior Minister Faeser speaks of an “appalling extent.”
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) can come up with good news when presenting the police crime statistics for the past year: “The statistics show a positive development in most areas.” Germany is a safe country and a strong constitutional state. Since 2016, crime statistics have recorded falling numbers of cases. With just over five million crimes, a new low has been reached in criminality in Germany. On the other hand, the clearance rate of 58.7% has reached a new high.
The number of cases has dropped significantly, for example by around twelve percent each for crimes related to the Weapons Act and for theft, and by around 28 percent for burglaries. According to crime statistics, violent crime has declined by 6.8 percent. This is also due to the corona pandemic, during which pickpockets and burglars had a harder time finding victims last year because many people were often at home. In previous years, there had already been fewer registered burglaries.
But “where there is light, there is always shadow,” says Faeser. In the past year, the police again registered more cases of sexualized violence against children and a spread of depictions of abuse. According to crime statistics, around 15,500 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in 2021. This corresponds to an increase of 6.3 percent. The number of registered cases of distribution, acquisition, possession or production of so-called child pornography has more than doubled. Faeser speaks of a “appalling extent”. It is a task for society as a whole to protect children. This is the top priority for the federal government.
Cybercrime has also increased by around 12 percent. Faeser sees further challenges in the riots during corona protests, during which police officers were increasingly attacked. These abuses would be reflected in the number of politically motivated crime cases to be presented in May.