Trends in murder rates in the Republic of Croatia in the period from 2011-2020

Every human being has the right to life (Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, OG, No. 56/90, 135/97, 08/98, 113/00, 124/00, 28/01, 41/01, 55/01, 76/10, 85 / 10, 05/14, Article 21). Therefore, life as the most valuable good also enjoys criminal law protection. Murder is the killing of another, living person, and from the criminal law point of view, murder includes only unlawful killing (Pavlović, 2013:277). In terms of criminal investigation, criminal offences against life and limb constitute violent crimes. The term violent crimes used in criminal investigation includes all criminal offences that result in the death of one or more persons, or violation of their bodily integrity, regardless of the legal classification of the offence and object of protection (relationship) that was attacked by a criminal offence (Pavišić, Modly, Veić , 2012: 26). In practice, when violent crimes are mentioned, the crime of murder is most often thought of first. From the criminal investigation point of view, these are very complex criminal investigations, which require expertise, perseverance and dedicated work of all criminal investigators involved in such inquiries in order to clarify all the circumstances of the crime committed. Given that these criminal offences draw great attention of media and citizens, the continuation of the paper will show the rates of criminal offences of murder in the territory of the Republic of Croatia in the last 9 years (2011-2020). Available data from the Ministry of the Interior (Statistical Review of Basic Security Indicators and Performance Results for the Period 2011-2020) were used to show the development of crime rates of these criminal offences.

The above statistical data show that in 2011 a total of 48 murders were committed, of which one murder remained unsolved, and that was committed in the Istra County Police Administration. The largest number of murders was committed in the Zagreb County Police Administration (13 murders), while in the area of ​​6 police administrations in 2011 not a single murder was committed (Dubrovnik-Neretva County Police Administration, Karlovac County Police Administration, Sisak-Moslavina County Police Administration, Bjelovar-Bilogora County Police Administration, Brod-Posavina County Police Administration and Varaždin County Police Administration). In 2012, a total of 51 murders were reported, of which one murder committed in the Zagreb County Police Administration remained unsolved. The highest number of murders (12 murders) was committed in the Zagreb County Police Administration, while no murders were reported in the area of ​​4 police administrations (Šibenik-Knin County Police Administration, Koprivnica-Križevci County Police Administration, Požega-Slavonia County Police Administration and Virovitica-Podravina County Police Administration). In 2013, a total of 41 murders were reported, of which 5 remained unsolved (one in the Istra County Police Administration, one in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Police Administration, one in the Sisak-Moslavina Police and 2 in the Zagreb County Police Administration). No murders were reported in the area of ​​5 police administrations (Dubrovnik-Neretva County Police Administration, Krapina-Zagorje County Police Administration, Lika-Senj County Police Administration, Međimurje County Police Administration, Požega-Slavonia County Police Administration). The largest number of murders (7 murders) was committed in the area of ​​the Zagreb County Police Administration. Then in 2014, a total of 35 murders were reported and all of them were also resolved. In 2014, the largest number of murders was reported in the Zagreb County Police Administration (6 murders), while no murders were reported in the area of ​​2 police administrations (Međimurje County Police Administration and Virovitica-Podravina County Police Administration). In 2015, a total of 33 murders were reported. Looking at the administrations, the largest number of murders was committed in three police administrations, namely the Zagreb County Police Administration, the Sisak-Moslavina County Police Administration and the Zadar County Police Administration. This year, not a single murder was committed in the area of ​​6 administrations, namely the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Police Administration, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Police Administration, the Šibenik-Knin County Police Administration, the Brod-Posavina County Police Administration, the Koprivnica-Križevci County Police Administration, the Lika-Senj County Police Administration and the Virovitica-Podravina County Police Administration. In 2016, there was an increase in criminal offences of murder in the territory of the Republic of Croatia. A total of 46 murders were committed, all of which have been solved. The largest number of murders (14 murders) was committed in the Zagreb County Police Administration. In the area of ​​7 administrations in 2016, no murders were recorded (Istra County Police Administration, Vukovar-Srijem County Police Administration, Zadar County Police Administration, Koprivnica-Križevci County Police Administration, Lika-Senj County Police Administration, Požega-Slavonia County Police Administration, Virovitica-Podravina County Police Administration). The same number of murders as in the previous year was recorded in 2017. All of these murders were solved in the current year. Once again, the largest number of murders was committed in the Zagreb County Police Administration, 9 of them. In the area of ​​the Karlovac County Police Administration, the Vukovar-Srijem County Police Administration and the Koprivnica-Križevci County Police Administration, not a single murder was committed in 2017. Compared to the two previously observed years, in 2018 significantly fewer murders were committed in the territory of the Republic of Croatia, which were solved in the current year (22 murders).  A total of 6 murders were committed in the area of the Zagreb County Police Administration, while in the area of ​​the Istra County Police Administration, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Police Administration, the Šibenik-Knin County Police Administration, the Brod-Posavina County Police Administration and the Virovitica-Podravina County Police Administration, not a single murder was committed. In 2019, slightly more murders were reported than in the previous year (30 murders). One murder reported in that year remained unsolved. The largest number of murders was committed in the Zagreb County Police Administration (6 murders), while 5 murders were committed in the Split-Dalmatia County Police Administration. No murders were committed in the area of ​​9 administrations (Karlovac County Police Administration, Sisak-Moslavina County Police Administration, Šibenik-Knin County Police Administration, Bjelovar-Bilogora County Police Administration, Koprivnica-Križevci County Police Administration, Krapina-Zagorje County Police Administration, Lika-Senj County Police Administration, Požega-Slavonia County Police Administration, Virovitica- Podravina County Police Administration). In the last observed year, in 2020, a total of 36 murders were committed, of which 2 were not solved. As in the previous year, the largest number of murders was committed in the area of ​​the Zagreb County Police Administration (7), and then in the area of ​​the Split-Dalmatia County Police Administration. This year, no murders were committed in the area of 3 administration (Sisak-Moslavina County Police Administration, Bjelovar-Bilogora County Police Administration, Varaždin County Police Administration).

In conclusion, it can be said that in the observed 9 years, oscillations in the movement of criminal offences of murder committed in the territory of the Republic of Croatia are visible. In the observed period, the highest number of murders was committed in 2012, and the lowest in 2018. In each observed year, the highest number of murders was recorded in the Zagreb County Police Administration, which was to be expected given the fact that it is the most populated area in Croatia. The area includes the City of Zagreb, so it is more likely for crimes as murder to be committed there.

Graph: Trends in murder rates in the Republic of Croatia in the period from 2011-2020

References:

Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, OG, No. 56/90, 135/97, 08/98, 113/00, 124/00, 28/01, 41/01, 55/01, 76/10, 85/10, 05/14.

Pavišić, B., Modly, D., Veić, P. (2012). Kriminalistika, Knjiga 2, Rijeka: Dušević & Kršovnik d.o.o.

Pavlović, Š. (2013). Kazneni zakon, drugo izmijenjeno, dopunjeno i prošireno izdanje, Rijeka: Libertin naklada.

Statistical Review of Basic Security Indicators and Performance Results (2011-2020), Ministry of the Interior, https://mup.gov.hr/pristup-informacijama-16/statistika-228/statistika-mup-a-i-bilteni-o-sigurnosti-cestovnog-prometa/283233 (Accessed 17 May 2022).