Historical chart and dataset showing Costa Rica crime rate per 100K population by year from 1990 to 2021.

During 2024, Costa Rica recorded almost 43,000 crimes. The most common ones being theft with 14,937, robbery with 9,759, and burglary with 9,545 cases. In 2022, Costa Rica registered 611 homicide victims.

During 2024, Costa Rica recorded almost ****** crimes and around ** percent of them were registered in the province of San Jose. In 2024, Costa Rica registered under *** homicide victims.

In 2024, around 16.6 people were murdered per 100,000 inhabitants in Costa Rica. During the years prior to 2023, the homicide rate remained fairly stable, with figures varying between 9.5 and 12.1 per 100,000 inhabitants.

11,2 (cases per 100,000 population) in 2020. “Intentional homicide” is defined as unlawful death purposefully inflicted on a person by another person

776,0 (cases per 100,000 population) in 2022. “Burglary” means gaining unauthorised access to a part of a building/dwelling or other premises; including by use of force; with the intent to steal goods (breaking and entering). “Burglary” should include; where possible; theft from a house; appartment or other dwelling place; factory; shop or office; from a military establishment; or by using false keys. It should exclude theft from a car; from a container; from a vending machine; from a parking meter and from fenced meadow/compound. (UN-CTS M4.6)

During 2023, there were 642 victims of homicide in Costa Rica, where the crime was related to the organized crime. That was the highest number of homicides of this type ever recorded in the Central American country.

155.5 (cases per 100,000 population) in 2017. 'Assault' means physical attack against the body of another person resulting in serious bodily injury; excluding indecent/sexual assault; threats and slapping/punching. 'Assault' leading to death should also be excluded. (UN-CTS M3.2)

During 2024, Costa Rica recorded almost ****** crimes and around ** percent of the victims were male. In 2024, Costa Rica registered under *** homicide victims.

10 (número) in 2017. “Kidnapping” means unlawfully detaining a person or persons against their will (including through the use of force; threat; fraud or enticement) for the purpose of demanding for their liberation an illicit gain or any other economic gain or other material benefit; or in order to oblige someone to do or not to do something. “Kidnapping” excludes disputes over child custody. (UN-CTS M5.5)

During 2023, only 29 percent of the homicides commited in Costa Rica were not related to the organized crime, whereas 71 percent were related to it. It's the highest rate ever recorded in the Central American country.

The average for 2017 based on 79 countries was 105 robberies per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Costa Rica: 1587 robberies per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Oman: 1 robberies per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2003 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Dataset

This dataset was created by Auston Toperzer

Contents

In 2020, more than 30.6 thousand property crimes were reported to the police in Costa Rica, a steep decrease from the more than 59 thousand cases registered in 2019. Burglaries, which include break-ins to homes, commercial properties, and vehicles with the purpose of stealing other goods, were the most common type of property crime in 2020, with almost 12 thousand cases.

36,2 (cases per 100,000 population) in 2013. “Rape” means sexual intercourse without valid consent. (UN-CTS M3.4)

Costa Rica: Robberies per 100,000 people: Pour cet indicateur, The UN office on drugs and crime fournit des données pour la Costa Rica de 2003 à 2017. La valeur moyenne pour Costa Rica pendant cette période était de 898 robberies per 100,000 people avec un minimum de 423 robberies per 100,000 people en 2003 et un maximum de 1587 robberies per 100,000 people en 2017.

0,2 (cases per 100,000 population) in 2017. “Kidnapping” means unlawfully detaining a person or persons against their will (including through the use of force; threat; fraud or enticement) for the purpose of demanding for their liberation an illicit gain or any other economic gain or other material benefit; or in order to oblige someone to do or not to do something. “Kidnapping” excludes disputes over child custody. (UN-CTS M5.5)

The International Crime Victim Survey (ICVS) was a far-reaching program of standardized sample surveys that investigated householders' experiences with crime, policing, crime prevention, and perceptions of safety. The surveys were carried out in the following countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chechnia, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Egypt, England and Wales, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany (West), Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Rumania, Russia, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, the United States, Yugoslavia, and Zimbabwe. The data were collected in three waves: 1989, 1992-1994, and 1995-1997. The main focus of the ICVS was whether the respondent was a victim of theft of or from vehicles, other thefts, vandalism, robbery, pickpocketing, sexual harassment or violence, or assault. The surveys also investigated the frequency of victimization, reasons for not reporting a crime to the police, familiarity with the offender in the case of a sexual offense, physical violence, injuries, fear of crime in the respondent's local area, use of help agencies for victims, satisfaction with police behavior, preferred legal sanctions, punishment, and length of detention for offenders, safety precautions when leaving home, possession of a gun, burglar alarm, or insurance, and frequency of going out.

Costa Rica was the Central American country with the highest theft rate by far. According to the latest data, it was estimated that approximately 520 thefts were reported per 100,000 inhabitants. Panama registered 329.77 such crime reports per 100,000, the second highest figure.

Costa Rica: Thefts per 100,000 people: Pour cet indicateur, The UN office on drugs and crime fournit des données pour la Costa Rica de 2003 à 2013. La valeur moyenne pour Costa Rica pendant cette période était de 333 thefts per 100,000 people avec un minimum de 167 thefts per 100,000 people en 2003 et un maximum de 697 thefts per 100,000 people en 2013.