CRIMINAL STATISTICS

The legislation can be divided into two sets of laws, namely the criminal law and special legislation.

The criminal law covers mainly the violation of public authority, family crime, crime against sexual morality, crimes against life or limb, and property crimes.

 

Special Legislation

The special legislation includes the road act, legislation on narcotics, fire legislation, police regulations, tax legislation, and environment and fishing legislation.

 

Overview 1

Violation of the Criminal Law

 

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Persons charged

Persons under 15

Criminal law, total

6.368

5.937

5.807

5.998

5.540

5.141

5.251

3.927

121

Violation of public authority (§16)

55

65

87

82

91

100

93

96

1

Crimes of family relations (§§48-50)

22

10

4

13

10

5

5

4

0

- Incest

18

10

4

10

7

4

5

3

0

Crimes against sexual morality (§§ 51-56)

390

417

370

488

462

391

331

362

1

- Rape and attempted rape

178

148

158

196

159

164

119

150

0

- Sexual relations with children under 15

100

85

100

109

121

82

63

77

0

- Seduction

1

8

4

2

1

0

0

0

0

- Indecent exposure

100

153

107

177

176

136

145

126

1

Capital crimes (§§ 57-64)

772

780

813

851

863

880

852

880

14

- Murder

7

5

8

8

8

8

9

8

0

- Attempted murder

14

8

18

12

17

22

21

23

2

- Violence

735

761

775

821

808

833

812

831

12

Economic crime (§§ 72-81)

4.544

4.289

4.105

4.128

3.644

3.382

3.603

2.257

104

- Burglary

1.045

1.006

986

921

666

541

741

379

38

- Theft

1.954

1.827

1.688

1.846

1.714

1.695

1.614

1.133

24

- Vandalism

851

983

905

818

798

749

774

373

12

- Appropriation of another person’s property for purposes of limited use only 1)

393

273

322

334

291

220

312

214

30

Criminal law, other

1.144

376

428

436

470

383

367

328

1

Note: 1) Bicycles and snowmobiles are only included if the perpetrator has been found.

Source: The Chief of Police for Greenland

 

Overview 2

Violation of Special Legislation

 

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Persons charged

Persons under 15

Special legislation, total

1.376

1.493

1.481

1.552

1.481

1.464

1.588

1.469

1

Road act, total

868

1.025

868

904

887

842

744

938

0

- Traffic accidents without the driver being influenced by alcohol

611

608

613

648

594

622

844

531

1

- Traffic accidents with the driver being influenced by alcohol

147

150

63

140

125

147

119

147

0

- Drunk driving (§§ 9-10)

10

275

256

195

166

158

153

83

0

Narcotics legislation

…

…

140

146

117

125

135

51

0

Fire and building legislation

…

…

116

49

49

33

18

32

0

Police regulations

433

545

413

477

550

551

543

640

0

Tax laws

73

70

59

68

40

37

28

34

0

Environment laws

114

175

136

96

98

70

2

77

0

Fishing laws

43

52

27

7

7

7

11

7

0

Other special legislation

5

10

5

9

8

4

7

4

0

Special legislation, total

33

16

61

83

32

31

23

35

0

Road act, total

198

198

167

164

152

142

130

141

0

Source: The Chief of Police for Greenland

 

Search and Rescue

The police have responsibility for search and rescue operations all over the country and in local waters.

The Island Command Greenland has responsibility for the maritime rescue service, e.g. ships in distress, whereas the Civil Aviation Administration is responsible for aerial search and rescue, e.g. distressed persons from aircraft.

Police cutters, the fleet of Air Greenland, private boats and cutters and units under the Island Command Greenland are used.

The police fleet consists of four steel ships, based in Nuuk.

 

Read more about the Greenland Command in the Defence section.

 

Civil Cases

The police have responsibility for the enforcement of civil claims. Public claims are recovered by the tax agency's central collection authority.

 

Overview 3

Civil Cases Etc.

 

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

 

Number

Civil cases etc., total 1)

…

…

11.996

10.156

7.127

6.441

6.606

-  Paternity suits

717

644

753

699

652

678

739

Bailiff cases, total

6.895

8.912

9.122

6.956

4.144

3.833

4.389

-  Civil bailiff cases 2)

…

…

4.659

3.545

2.526

1.997

2.653

-  Bailiff cases in connection with an unpaid fine 2)

…

…

4.463

3.411

1.369

1.540

1.424

-  Cases in connection with compensation to victims of crime

125

292

394

433

249

296

312

 

DKK million

Fines 3)

6,0

6,0

12,5

6,4

6,1

7,6

7,6

Collected fines 3)

3,7

3,3

3,8

4,2

3,8

3,4

4,0

Arrears 3)

10,6

11,9

19,0

19,8

19,3

20,0

20,3

Permits

552

472

748

768

818

773

669

-  Weapons

4

2

27

16

26

12

12

-  Expeditions

62

60

87

107

92

94

88

Suspect deaths and finding of dead persons

52

58

75

78

82

68

66

-  Killed as a consequence of murder and violence

…

…

9

8

9

4

8

-  Drowned

17

12

11

8

13

5

12

-  Killed by accidental shot

17

12

2

1

2

0

1

-  Killed in a traffic accident

…

…

5

2

0

2

1

Suicide

41

49

48

58

37

31

36

Sections

24

28

38

37

34

51

41

SAR operations

126

105

109

114

153

146

157

Notes: 1) Prior to 2005 certain civil cases were not included. There is therefore no total number of civil cases for years before 2005. 2) Bailiff cases are not specified prior to 2005. There are therefore only a total for bailiff cases prior to 2005. 3) Arrears concerning fines and confiscation are noted as accumulated amounts in DKK million.

Source: The Chief of Police for Greenland

 

Overview 4

Other Police Work

 

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

 

Number

Issued passports

1.413

1.696

2.468

2.626

3.162

3.597

3.708

Issued driving licences

1.498

840

1.358

1.303

1.283

1.486

1.096

 

DKK million

Imposed fines each year

6,0

6,0

12,5

6,4

6,1

7,6

7,6

Collected fines each year

3,7

3,3

3,8

4,2

3,8

3,4

4,0

Fine arrears

10,6

11,9

19,0

19,8

19,3

20,0

20,3

Collected by confiscation during the year

2,5

2.2

1,3

5,6

2,8

2,7

2,2

Confiscation arrears, total

7,9

6,6

6,5

10,1

13,7

15,9

15,7

 

Number

Arrested etc.

1.377

1.076

1.403

1.523

1.495

1.118

1.073

Drunks

826

831

767

589

613

563

459

Detained 2)

174

157

177

181

181

232

176

Imprisoned

…

…

96

70

95

95

31

 

Work day equivalents 1

Number of days – detained

5.370

3.007

3.918

5.934

4.539

3.223

1.348

Number of days – imprisoned

…

1.438

1.882

1.048

702

1.260

69

Convoy trips

282

207

467

273

244

242

180

Business trips, other

851

742

703

1.109

1.177

732

759

Missions (including schooling)

2.991

2.054

1.807

1.984

2.187

2.276

1.882

Notes: 1) A work day equivalent is equal to the work of one person for one day. Two police officers on a business trip for three days thus equals six work day equivalents. 2) When detained persons are moved, this entails double registration.

Source: The Chief of Police for Greenland

 

International cooperation

Greenland participates in the Schengen cooperation and is connected to the European Schengen Information System (SIS). The system has a register of criminals and undesirables and is used in connection with immigration controls. Greenland has since 2001 controlled entrants from outside the Schengen area.

 

Institutions for Convicts

The Chief of Police for Greenland is responsible for the enforcement of judgments in criminal cases, including custodial measures. There are institutions for convicts in Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, Aasiaat, and Qaqortoq.

Following an enlargement of the institution in Sisimiut, there are now 133 places in the Greenlandic institutions. In addition, there are nine places in a youth institution in Sisimiut.

In addition, on 1 October 2009 a temporary institution in Kangerlussuaq with room for 40 was taken into use. The institution is only to be used for the reduction of waiting queue of offenders facing a time of up to six months’ placement.

The responsibility for the daily operation of the institutions rests with the Directorate of Prisons in Denmark.

 

Links

Read more the criminal law and special legislation, especially for Greenland at www.folketinget.dk

Read more about the Civil Aviation Administration at www.slv.dk

Read more about the Schengen cooperation at

www.eu-oplysningen.dk/emner/schengen/

Read more about the institutions for convicts at www.kriminalforsorgen.gl