United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Source: UNECE Statistical Database, compiled from national official sources. Definition: Persons convicted are persons found guilty by any legal body duly authorised to do so under national law, whether the conviction was later upheld or not. .. - data not available Country: Austria Break in methodlogy (2000): Significantly reduced number of convictions between 1999 and 2000: the decline is due to diversion which is now applicable to adults in criminal law. Country: Austria Change in definition (1990): Juveniles: data refer to persons aged less than 19. Persons, who were convicted more than once in the indicated year are multiple-counted. Country: Austria Change in definition (1995 - 2001): Juveniles: data refer to persons aged less than 19. Country: Bulgaria Break in methodlogy (2000): Until 1997 data are based on the activity of the regional and district courts on penal trials of general, private and administrative character. Since 1998 the information for the activity of military courts is also included. Country: Bulgaria Break in methodlogy (2012): Since 2012 data include activities of the Special Criminal Court. Country: Canada Found guilty includes guilty of the charged offence, of an included offence, of an attempt of the charged offence, or of an attempt of an included offence. This category also includes cases where an absolute or conditional discharge has been imposed. Data refer to fiscal year (April 1 through March 31 of following year). 1995-2004: data do not cover all provinces and territories. Adult is a person of age 18+ at the time of the offence. Juvenile is a person aged 12 to 17 y.o at the time of the offence. Country: Cyprus Data refer to the Government controlled area only. Country: Cyprus Includes convictions of both serious crimes (in violation of the Penal Code) and minor offences, as well as traffic violations. Country: Czechia Change in definition (2000 - 2012): Data include not only imprisonment but also e.g. fines, ban on activity, etc. Country: Denmark Break in methodlogy (2007): From 1980 to 2006, data refer to all persons with a decision, incl. acquitted and prosecutor dropped. From 2007, data cover only those who are convicted. Country: Estonia Break in methodlogy (1990): Change in laws and methodology. Country: Finland Break in methodlogy (2000): Offences against the Road Traffic Act carrying imprisonment as penalty were transferred to the Penal code on 1 October 1999. Country: France Additional information (1995 - 2002): Amnesties (part of convictions was not registered). Country: France Change in definition (1980 - 2012): Data include DOM-TOM. Country: France Provisional value (2012): Country: Georgia Territorial change (1990 onward): Data do not cover Abkhazia AR and Tskhinvali Region. Country: Germany Territorial change (1980 - 2006): Data refer to former territory of Germany. Country: Greece Change in definition (1990 - 2004): Juveniles: persons aged up to 17 Country: Ireland Change in definition (2000 - 2002): Headline Incidents only being included. Juveniles: 16 years or younger. Country: Israel Change in definition (1980 - 1990): Convicted juvenile offenders are those tried in juvenile courts. Country: Israel Change in definition (2000 - 2012): Convicted juvenile offenders are those tried in juvenile courts. Data on persons charged in criminal trials conducted in courts of first instance, who were sentenced during a given year. Since 2000 classification as adults or as juveniles was based on the following criteria, 1) The offender`age at the time crime was committed. 2)The offender`s age at time of the indictment 3)The type of court in which the trial was held.A juvenile offender is a person who meets two out of the three criteria . All other cases are considered to be adults. Country: Israel Reference period (1980): Data refer to 1981 Country: Israel Reference period (1990): Data refer to 1989 Country: Italy Break in methodlogy (2000): Change in methodology and source Country: Italy Change in definition (1980 - 2011): Data refers to the convicted persons recorded in the Judicial Database Country: Kazakhstan Break in methodlogy (2000): Change of source as of 2000 Country: Moldova, Republic of Data exclude the territory of the Transnistria and municipality of Bender Country: Netherlands Change in definition (1990 - 2012): Data exclude persons with unknown sex and age. Country: Poland Change in definition (1980 - 1990): Juveniles: persons aged up to 16. Country: Poland Change in definition (1995 - 2012): Juveniles: persons aged up to 17. Country: Romania Convictions is equivalent to Persons convicted because there are no data regarding final convictions. Country: Serbia Territorial change (2000 onward): Data exclude territory of Kosovo and Metohija. Country: Slovenia Break in methodology (1995): Change in law. Break in methodology (2013): New amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act enabled the implementation of criminal proceedings and economized trials. This is reflected in the large increase of the number of convicted persons over the previous year. The number of convicted juveniles did not significantly increase during the same period – around 10%. Country: Spain Break in methodlogy (2008): Before 2007: different source and partial coverage. Country: Spain Change in definition (1980 - 2013): Juveniles: persons aged between 14 to 17 years. Country: Spain Change in definition (2000 - 2006): Juveniles: persons aged between 14 to 17 years. Convicted persons are partially reported by sex. Country: Sweden Change in definition (1980 onwards): Data refer to number of convictions. One person can contribute with more than one conviction during a calendar year. Includes attempts, assistance, preparation and conspiracy to commit an offence. Country: Switzerland Additional information (1990 - 1995): Data are not complete (Juvenile convictions are not available) Country: Switzerland Change in definition (1990 - 2012): Only convicted persons for felonies and misdemeanours. Country: Turkey 2005: break in series: introduction of changes in laws. 2009: break in series: change in data compilation method. Data refer to the number of sentence decisions rendered for accused persons at criminal courts in accordance with Turkish Criminal Law and special laws for 2009 and later. Total excludes judicial person, foreign national and unknown sex and age for 2009 and later. Country: Ukraine From 2014 data cover the territories under the government control. Country: United Kingdom Change in definition (2008 - onwards): For total convicted persons, male and female may not add up to total because the sex is not always recorded Country: United Kingdom Territorial change (1980): Data refer to England and Wales only. Country: United States Adults: data represent felony conviction in state and federal courts. 1995: data refer to 1994.

.. - data not available Source: UNECE Statistical Database, compiled from national official sources. Definition: Conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime. A serious assault is an injury whereby life could be endangered, including cases of injury involving the use of dangerous instrument. Cases where instruments are used only to threaten are excluded. An assault refers to physical attack against the body of another person, including battery but excluding indecent assault. A homicide is intentional or unintentional killing. Intentional homicide is a death deliberately inflicted on a person by another person, including infanticide.Non-intentional homicide is a death not deliberately inflicted on a person by another person. That includes crime of manslaughter but excludes traffic accidents that result in a death of persons. The distinction between intentional and unintentional homicide differs from country to country, as does the definition of attempted murder. Rape is a sexual intercourse without valid consent. Robbery is a theft of property from a person, overcoming resistance by force or threat of force. Theft is any act of intentionally and unlawfully removing property belonging to another person (or organisation), excluding burglary. Drug crimes are any violation involving the illicit brokerage, cultivation, delivery (on any terms whatsoever), dispatch, dispatch in transit, distribution, extraction, exportation or importation, offering for sale, preparation, production, purchase, manufacture, sale, traffic, transportation, or use of narcotic drugs. General note: Data come from administrative data sources unless otherwise specified. Country: Albania Assault includes article 89, this change includes years 2013-2015. Theft includes all crimes against property and economic sphere, but excludes robbery. Country: Austria Break in methodlogy (2000): Significantly reduced number of convictions between 1999 and 2000: the decline is due to diversion which is now applicable to adults in criminal law. Country: Bulgaria Break in methodlogy (2000): Until 1997 data are based on the activity of the regional and district courts on penal trials of general, private and administrative character. Since 1998 the information for the activity of military courts is also included. Country: Bulgaria Break in methodlogy (2012): Since 2012 data include activities of the Special Criminal Court. Country: Canada Assault includes Level 1 Assault, Criminal Code of Canada, section 266. A common assault has been committed when an individual intentionally applies force or threatens to apply force to another person, without that person's consent. The seriousness of physical injury is what distinguishes this type of assault from other, more serious assaults. Serious assault includes assault with a weapon (Level 2, Criminal Code of Canada, section 267), aggravated assault (Level 3, Criminal Code of Canada, section 268) and other assaults (assaults against police officers, and unlawfully causing bodily harm). Homicide includes first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter and infanticide. Rape is not a recognized offence in the Criminal Code of Canada. Data reported are sexual assault (level 1), sexual assault with a weapon or bodily harm (level 2) and sexual assault aggravated (level 3). Theft includes theft over and under $5,000 as well as motor vehicle theft. Drug crime includes drug possession, trafficking, production, importing and exporting. Data refer to a fiscal year (April 1 through March 31). Data do not cover all provinces and territories. Data includes persons aged 12 y.o. or older at the time of the offence. Country: Croatia Data refer to adults serving imprisonment sentences. Country: Cyprus Data refer to the Government controlled area only. Country: Cyprus Includes convictions of both serious crimes (in violation of the Penal Code) and minor offences, as well as traffic violations. Country: Denmark Change in definition (1980 - 2012): All persons with a decision, incl. acquitted and prosecutor dropped Assault: Include serious assault and homicide Country: Denmark Only guilty decisions included. Country: Estonia Break in methodlogy (1990 - 1995): Change in laws and methodology. Country: Estonia Change in definition (1990 - 2013): Theft includes burglary. Country: Finland Break in methodology (2000): The Penal Code includes the offences against the Road Traffic Act carrying imprisonment as penalty. Country: Finland Data refer to offences against the Penal Code only. Country: France Additional information (1995 - 2002): Amnesties (part of convictions was not registered). Country: France Change in definition (1990 - 2011): Data are based on different classification of offences. Country: Georgia Territorial change (2000 onward): Data do not cover Abkhazia AR and Tskhinvali Region. Country: Germany Territorial change (1980 - 2006): Data refer to former territory of Germany. Country: Greece Change in definition (1980 - 2010): Number of convictions equals to number of convicted persons (persons found definitively guilty from penal courts). Serious assault excludes fatal body injuries. Country: Iceland Data refer to convictions from the district courts. Country: Ireland 2009: break in series, change in methodology. Country: Israel Reference period (1980): Data refer to 1981 Country: Israel Reference period (1990): Data refer to 1989 Country: Italy Break in methodlogy (2000): Until 2000 data referred to the most serious crime. Series from 2000 to 2011 have been updated according to the new systems and calculating the convinctions instead of the persons convicted. Country: Italy Change in definition (1980 - 2011): Rape: convicted for misdemeanours are not included. Country: Kazakhstan Break in methodlogy (2000): Change of source as of 2000 Country: Kyrgyzstan Change in definition (2000 - onwards): Data are changed concidering the definition of the robbery. Country: Latvia Break in methodlogy (2011): Data include fraud and misappropriation on small scale Country: Latvia Change in definition (2000 - 2012): Data for theft include burglary. Country: Moldova, Republic of Territorial change (2004 onward): Data exclude the territory of the Transnistria and municipality of Bender Country: Montenegro 2001-2006: data refer to convicted adults. From 2007: data refer to convicted adults and juveniles. Assaults include serious assaults. Country: Netherlands Assaults include serious assaults. Data exclude persons with unknown sex. Country: Norway Until 2000: the total does not include convictions for misdemeanours, i.e. ticket fines and prosecutions conditionally dropped are not included. Country: Poland Data refer to adults only. Country: Romania Convictions is equivalent to Persons convicted because there are no data regarding final convictions. Country: Serbia Territorial change (2000 onward): Data exclude territory of Kosovo and Metohija. Country: Slovakia Break in methodlogy (2006): Change in criminal code. Country: Slovenia Break in methodology (1995): Change in law. Break in methodology (2013): New amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act enabled the implementation of criminal proceedings and economized trials. This is reflected in the large increase of the number of convicted persons over the previous year. The number of convicted juveniles did not significantly increase during the same period – around 10%. Country: Spain Break in methodology (2007): change in source, data include only firm convictions. Country: Spain Total could be less than sum of convictions by type as each conviction can include different crimes. Country: Sweden Break in methodlogy (2005): Break in series for convictions of Rape due to changes in legislation for sexual offenses. Country: Sweden Statistics presented refers to conviction decisions laid down by courts (first instance county court convictions) or prosecutors (prosecutor fines or waiver of prosecution). Sub groups for some years do not add up to the main level, due to missing data on gender. Attempt, preparation, being an accomplice, incitement, failure to disclose and failure to prevent offences are included in respective offence category. Drug crime does not include drug trafficking for the years 1995 and 2000. Drug trafficking is included from 2001 onwards. Country: Switzerland Change in definition (1990 - onwards): Only convicted persons for felonies and misdemeanours. Country: Turkey Break in methodlogy (2009): Change in data compilation method. Country: Turkey Change in definition (1990 - 2010): Data includes intentional and non-intentional homicide. Theft includes burglary. Country: Turkey Data refer to the number of sentence decisions rendered for accused persons at criminal courts in accordance with Turkish Criminal Law and special laws for 2009 and later. Total excludes judicial person, foreign national and unknown sex for 2009 and later. Country: Ukraine From 2014 data cover the territories under the government control. Country: United Kingdom Change in definition (2000 - onwards): Serious assault includes attempted murder. Rape includes attempted rape. Country: United Kingdom Change in definition (2008 - onwards): Male and female may not add up to total because sex is not always recorded. Country: United Kingdom Territorial change (2000 - onwards): Data refer to England and Wales. Country: United States Data represent felony convictions in State and Federal Courts. Convictions in juvenile courts are not included. Data do not distinguish between assault and serious assault. 1995: data refers to 1994.