(de-news.net) – In 2024, Germany saw a 1.5% rise in violent crime, totaling approximately 217,277 cases. Knife-related incidents accounted for 7.2% of these cases. The broader crime statistics indicated a decline in recorded offenses, down 1.7% to about 5.84 million cases. This reduction was significantly influenced by the partial legalization of cannabis possession and cultivation from April 2024.
While the number of juvenile and child suspects generally declined, violence-related offenses among these groups increased. Particularly concerning was the rise in sexual offenses, including rape and sexual assault, which grew by 9.3% compared to the previous year, reaching 13,300 recorded cases.
Cybercrime saw a slight decrease of 2.2%, but the statistics acknowledged potential underreporting. Economic crime surged by over 57%, attributed to the conclusion of investigations in large-scale cases involving multiple victims. The increase in violent crimes among non-German suspects was noted alongside an increase in their population share, with social studies suggesting bias in reporting based on perceptions of the offenders’ ethnicity.
In reaction to the number of sexual offenses in particular, acting Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized the need for enhanced protective systems for women, effective prosecution strategies, and the introduction of electronic ankle bracelets. However, Ulf Buermeyer, a journalist and former judge, suggested in an interview that the increase in reported rapes might not necessarily reflect a rise in incidents but rather a greater willingness among victims to report such crimes. He argued that crime statistics in Germany fail to provide a realistic depiction of overall criminal activity, as only a fraction of offenses are reported.
The Police Union (GdP) identified an urgent need for action, particularly in increasing the number of officers and upgrading technical resources. GdP Federal Chairman Kopelke emphasized that law enforcement agencies can only solve approximately half of all reported cases, while increasingly becoming targets themselves. Challenges in combating crime and preventing threats stem from insufficient personnel, stringent data protection regulations, and outdated technology and software. These factors collectively hinder effective policing and necessitate critical improvements.
