German Crime Statistics Show Mixed Trends in 2024

While overall crime rates declined slightly, significant increases were noted in murders, knife-related offenses, and cybercrime.

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) reported a 1% decrease in overall crime, totaling nearly 1.4 million cases, though the number of murders and murder attempts rose by 16%.
Knife-related crimes surged by over 20%, with nearly 7,300 incidents recorded, prompting calls for further measures to curb this form of violence.
Cybercrime cases increased by 7.8%, reflecting ongoing challenges in tackling digital offenses, while economic crimes also saw a notable rise of 18.2%.
Sexual offenses and drug-related crimes decreased, with a 34% drop in drug offenses attributed to the partial legalization of cannabis.
The statistics highlighted concerns over youth involvement in serious crimes, with increases in dangerous and severe bodily harm among children and adolescents.