Over recent years, polices forces from other areas have published recorded crime data, with a a notable downward trend in crimes committed. The Basque country’s police force, the Ertzaintza, with the publication of its data, serves to confirm this reduction in crime.
Criminal offences known to the Ertzaintza in 2016 amounted to 81,355 – 11,554 in Álava, 48,213 in Biscay and 21,568 in Gipuzkoa.If we analyse the 2012-2016 period, we can establish that that figures have gradually dropped every year:
| Number of crimes | |
| 2012 | 90.653 |
| 2013 | 88.818 |
| 2014 | 86.783 |
| 2015 | 83.996 |
| 2016 | 81.355 |
Source: Own elaboration of data from the Ertzaintza
Of these 81,355 criminal offences recorded in 2016, 41 are homicides, 5,235 are assaults, 61,790 are crimes against property and 357 are crimes against sexual freedom.
Furthermore, if we bear in mind arrests carried out by the Ertzaintza, we see an evolution which involves falling percentage figures similar to those of criminal activity:
| Number of arrests | |
| 2012 | 8,243 |
| 2013 | 7,590 |
| 2014 | 6,891 |
| 2015 | 5,964 |
| 2016 | 5,247 |
Source: Own elaboration of data from the Ertzaintza
Effectively, in 2016 there was the lowest number of arrests. Of these, 712 took place in a Álava, 2,694 in Biscay and 1,841 in Gipuzkoa.
Similarly, the Ertzaintza also publish data related to investigations carried out in the three provinces of the Basque country. In this case, the investigations carried out by the police force continue to rise during the 2012-2016 period:
| Number of investigations | |
| 2012 | 14,468 |
| 2013 | 15,321 |
| 2014 | 15,360 |
| 2015 | 17,082 |
| 2016 | 20,782 |
Source: Own elaboration of data from the Ertzaintza
As can be seen, there is a steady increase in investigations, although in 2014 they remain stable and, on the other hand, in 2016 there is a noticable rise.
Concerning the rate of criminal offences per one thousand inhabitants in the context of each province, Ertzaintza data reveal very low rates:
| Rate of criminal offences | ||
| 2015 | 2016 | |
| Álava | 38.63 | 36.56 |
| Biscay | 43.05 | 42.58 |
| Gipuzkoa | 32.86 | 30.77 |
Source: Own elaboration of data from the Ertzaintza
The rate of criminal offences per thousand inhabitants in Spain as a whole in 2015 was 43.69, and 43.21 in 2016.
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