Luxembourg Sees Highest Number of Crimes in Over Two Decades, Despite Declining Incarceration Rate

The Grand Ducal Police in Luxembourg has reported a staggering 43,000 crimes in 2021, marking one of the highest numbers of crimes recorded in over two decades.

Crime Trends and Statistics

Despite this alarming trend, the incarceration rate in the country has been declining steadily over the past decade. In fact, fewer than one in a thousand people are behind bars. The budget of the Luxembourg police has also seen significant growth, reaching nearly €300,000 in 2021. The force employs over 2,500 individuals and boasts a clearance rate of 53.2%, indicating that charges are being made in more than half of all recorded crimes.

Types of Crimes

According to official statistics:

• Four people were victims of intentional homicide in the most recent period recorded, resulting in a homicide rate of 0.65 per hundred thousand inhabitants.
• 76 people were victims of rape in 2019, with 18 convictions recorded in the same year.
• Drug-related offenses have been on the rise, with over 4,600 cases reported in 2020 alone.
• Burglaries and vandalism have also remained a concern, with around 3,000 burglaries and less than 4,200 cases of vandalism recorded in 2021.

International Comparisons

Compared to other European countries, Luxembourg’s crime rate is relatively low. The country boasts one of the lowest homicide rates in Europe, with only 0.32 per hundred thousand inhabitants in 2020, significantly lower than neighboring Belgium, which reported a rate of 1.23.

Assaults and Sexual Violence

The report also highlights Luxembourg’s high rate of reported assaults, with 103.76 per hundred thousand inhabitants in 2019. While this remains lower than neighboring countries such as France, Belgium, and Germany, the country’s sexual violence rate stands at around the European median, but still lags behind its neighboring nations.