The crime rate in Sweden was around 15,000 per 100,000 inhabitants from 2010 to 2020. However it fell in both 2021 and 2022. The total number of crimes also decreased in 2021.

Increased use of firearms

While Sweden usually is perceived as a peaceful country to live in, it has received unwanted attention in recent years for increasing gang violence and incidents involving the use of firearms. In 2022, the country recorded its highest number of shootings and its highest number of fatal-shootings.

The perpetrators

A high majority of the crime suspects in Sweden are men. In 2021, more than three in four crime suspects were men. In terms of age, 30-49-year-olds made up the highest share of suspects.

Sweden crime rate per 100K population for 2021 was 1.08, a 9.72% decline from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Sweden crime rate per 100K population for 2020 was <strong>1.20</strong>, a <strong>10.63% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Sweden crime rate per 100K population for 2019 was <strong>1.08</strong>, a <strong>1.71% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>Sweden crime rate per 100K population for 2018 was <strong>1.06</strong>, a <strong>5.4% decline</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.

Context

Swedish crime statistics from 1950 to 2015

Content

This data set contains statistics on reported crimes in Sweden (by 100.000) from 1950 to 2015. It contains the following columns:

1. crimes.total: total number of reported crimes
2. crimes.penal.code: total number of reported crimes against the criminal code
3. crimes.person: total number of reported crimes against a person
4. murder: total number of reported murder
5. sexual.offences: total number of reported sexual offences
6. rape: total number of reported rapes
7. assault: total number of reported aggravated assaults
8. stealing.general: total number of reported crimes involving stealing or robbery
9. robbery: total number of reported armed robberies
10. burglary: total number of reported armed burglaries
11. vehicle.theft: total number of reported vehicle thefts
12. house.theft: total number of reported theft inside a house
13. shop.theft: total number of reported theft inside a shop
14. out.of.vehicle.theft: total number of reported theft from a vehicle
15. criminal.damage: total number of reported criminal damages
16. other.penal.crimes: number of other penal crime offenses
17. fraud: total number of reported frauds
18. narcotics: total number of reported narcotics abuses
19. drunk.driving: total number of reported drunk driving incidents
20. Year: the year
21. population: the total estimated population of Sweden at the time

Acknowledgements

Raw data taken from: https://www.bra.se/bra/bra-in-english/home/crime-and-statistics/crime-statistics.html

More than half of students admit to committing crime during the past 12 months. Each documented year, almost ** percent state that they have participated in theft.

The number of confirmed homicides in Sweden over the last 10 years peaked in 2020, when 124 homicides were registered. The number jumped from 2014 to 2015, but has remained just above 100 since. In 2023, 121 homicides were confirmed in Sweden. A significant majority of the victims were men.

More men than women are victims of homicide in Sweden. The number of men who were killed in violent crimes increased from 2012 to 2015, but has remained more stable since. Meanwhile, the number of female homicide victims was usually between 25 and 30 during the past decade. In 2022, 93 men and 23 women were confirmed as homicide victims in Sweden. Compared to other European countries, Sweden's homicide rate was around the average.

Sweden SE: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data was reported at 0.590 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.594 Ratio for 2015. Sweden SE: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data is updated yearly, averaging 0.597 Ratio from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.896 Ratio in 2004 and a record low of 0.446 Ratio in 2012. Sweden SE: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides, female are estimates of unlawful female homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; ;

The number of drug-related crimes in Sweden was relatively stable from 2012 to 2016. It then increased steadily until 2020, peaking at 124,000, before falling below 114,000 in 2022. Most reported drug-related crimes were related to private usage and possession of drugs.

Cannabis use most common

The most commonly used drug in Sweden is cannabis. In a survey conducted in 2019 on cannabis use, 11 percent of men and seven percent of women in the age group from16 to 29 years stated that they had used cannabis within the last twelve months.

Drug-related deaths

The abuse of drugs can cause overdoses and, ultimately, drug-related deaths. The number of drug-related deaths in Sweden has decreased since 2017. Most cases of drug-related deaths were due to overdoses from opioid use.

Sweden SE: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data was reported at 1.078 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.147 Ratio for 2015. Sweden SE: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 0.999 Ratio from Jun 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.211 Ratio in 2007 and a record low of 0.713 Ratio in 2012. Sweden SE: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; Weighted average;

In Sweden, the total number of reported cases of sexual offences increased from 2012 to 2021, before falling somewhat again in 2022. Whereas a total number of over 16,000 sexual offenses were reported in 2013, this had increased to nearly 24,000 by 2023. The highest number of these were cases of sexual harassment, followed by rape. Especially the number of reported cases of rape increased over the period, from 6,000 in 2012 to 9,300 in 2023. This is probably down to an increased awareness about reporting.

The Security System Services industry has received a boost from European government security expenditure, an uptick in public and private sector demand, and high-profile events like the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which pumped significant resources into modern alarm installations, AI surveillance and drone detection. Hiking crime rates across Europe, including spikes in theft and burglaries, have spurred both households and businesses to prioritise robust security, underpinning steady sales for providers. Overall, security systems revenue in Europe is projected to rise at a compound annual rate of 0.5% over the five years through 2025, including an estimated jump of 3% in 2025 to €22.7 billion. Innovative businesses like Verisure and Ajax Systems have improved their product offerings, bringing AI-enabled sensors, digital locks and highly responsive monitoring to a wider customer base. The industry’s focus on automation, integration and remote monitoring, supported by the proliferation of IoT devices, has redefined security provision and provided a platform for growth. The industry’s profit has remained steady amid recurring monitoring contracts, heightening sales from government and commercial clients and tech-driven efficiencies. Furthermore, strained police resources and EU policy initiatives to bolster public safety have allowed security system services to fill critical security gaps, particularly in retail and urban environments. Security system revenue in Europe is forecast to swell at a compound annual rate of 4.8% over the five years through 2030, reaching €28.8 billion. The European Commission forecasts modest yet reliable GDP growth and easing inflation across major markets like France, Italy and Spain, which should release pent-up consumer and commercial spending on security infrastructure. Sustained public investment in construction and critical infrastructure, backed by landmark EU projects and increased EIB lending, is set to drive installations of CCTV, access control and 24/7 monitoring in both new and refurbished sites. The integration of AI is expected to transform intrusion detection, alarm accuracy and monitoring services. As the industry leverages AI-powered solutions and subscription-based models, it’s likely to see both higher penetration and recurring revenue streams, even as competition and demand for end-to-end, compliant systems intensify.

In 2022, the number of shootings in Sweden reached 391, the highest observed in the period between 2017 and 2023. In 2023, the number fell slightly. Moreover, 53 of the 363 shootings that year were fatal, nine fewer than the previous year.

Rising gang-related violence

Sweden has experienced a rising number of shooting episodes related to the country's criminal gangs in recent years. The violence has usually been concentrated to the larger cities Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, but recently also smaller towns have experienced episodes of shooting and even bombings. Indeed, There has been a steady increase in homicides through shootings over the past decade.

Violent crime in Sweden

Overall, Sweden's total number of homicides increased from 2012 to 2014, but remained relatively stable since, reaching 116 in 2022. The country's crime rate reached 13,800 per 100,000 inhabitants that year.

There were 395 victims of murder, manslaughter, and assaults resulting in deaths in Sweden in 2022. That was fewer compared to the previous year when the number of fatal cases reached more than 400. During the time under consideration, more men than women were murdered. Moreover, the number of victims increased significantly from 2015 to 2018, before falling slightly since.

The number of reported sexual offences in Denmark increased significantly since 2015. That year, less than 3,000 sexual offences were reported, a number that had increased to over 9,500 as of 2022. A vast majority of the victims are women. In December 2020, the Danish parliament passed a law based on sexual consent, following the example of the neighboring country Sweden.

Victims of criminal offences  In 2021, the number of reported victims of crime in Denmark dropped below 60,000. The most common crime experienced by Danes was violent crimes. The number of male victims was higher than female victims.

Safe country  In general, Denmark is considered a safe and peaceful country. In 2022, it ranked sixth in the ranking of the most peaceful countries in the world. Its Global Peace Index was 1.3. The following applies here: the lower the index value, the higher the peacefulness. This index measures the level of safety, the extent of current domestic and international conflicts, as well as the extent of militarization.