LEGAL ENTITIES PERPETRATORS OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES, BY TYPE OF DECISION, 2024

In 2024, public prosecutor’s offices in the Republic of Croatia decided upon crime reports for 648 legal entities – perpetrators of criminal offences, which was 4.2% more than in 2023. The number of accused legal entities decreased by 32.9% and the number of legal entities recognised as responsible by 25.0%, as compared to the previous year.

In 2024, there were 51 accused legal entities, while the share of legal entities recognised as responsible was 47.1% (24 legal entities).

In 2024, criminal offences against economy were the most frequent ones. The share of reported legal entities for criminal offences against economy was 49.5%, of accused legal entities 47.1% and of legal entities recognised as responsible 37.5%.

Fines were imposed as criminal penalties for all legal entities recognised as responsible. Regarding the amounts of pronounced fines, the most frequent ones were those ranging between 1 328 and 2 654 euro (8 legal entities) and between 2 655 and 6 636 euro (7 legal entities).

There were four legal entities for which a court decided to confiscate pecuniary benefit acquired through a criminal offence.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Source and methods of data collection

On the basis of the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20 and 155/23), data on reported and accused legal entities as well as those recognised as responsible are collected by regular statistical surveys, in which the following statistical reports are used: the Statistical Report for Legal Entities against Which Proceedings Based on Crime Report and Interlocutory Proceedings Have Been Concluded (SP-1 form) and the Statistical Report for Accused Legal Entities against Which Criminal Proceedings Have Been Validly Concluded (SP-2 form).

Statistical reports are filled in by competent public prosecutor's offices after the final decision has been reached, and by county and municipal courts of the first instance that act after the criminal procedure has been validly concluded. Observation units are legal entities – perpetrators of criminal offences.

The Act on the Responsibility of Legal Entities for Criminal Offences (NN, Nos 151/03, 110/07, 45/11, 143/12 114/22 and 114/23) was put into effect on 24 March 2004 and it has been applied in statistical surveys since 1 January 2005.

On 1 January 2013, the new Penal Code (NN, Nos 125/11, 144/12, 56/15, 61/15 – correction, 101/17, 118/18, 126/19, 84/21, 114/22, 114/23 and 36/24) entered into force. This Code, besides implementing new and modifying existing general institutes of material criminal law, prescribes a new catalogue of criminal offences.

Coverage

Statistical surveys cover all legal entities – perpetrators of criminal offences, whether reported, accused or recognised as responsible.

Definitions

Reported legal entity is every legal entity against which proceedings based on crime report and interlocutory proceedings have been concluded with a decision by which: the crime report has been rejected, the investigation has been discontinued, the investigation has been terminated, or an indictment has been submitted.

Accused legal entity is every legal entity against which criminal proceedings have been concluded with a valid court decision, by which the indictment has been dropped, the proceedings have been terminated, the legal entity has been acquitted, the charges have been rejected or the legal entity has been recognised as responsible.

Legal entity recognised as responsible is every legal entity against which criminal proceedings have been concluded with a valid court decision by which the legal entity has been recognised as responsible.

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80.

Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
Press corner: press@dzs.hr

Persons responsible:
Mario Vlajčević, Director of Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Gordana Finzir, Terezija Špančić and Dubravka Rogić-Hadžalić

USERS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO STATE THE SOURCE.

Customer Relations and Data Protection Department

Information and user requests
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 138, 48 06 154, 48 06 115
E-mail: stat.info@dzs.hr

Subscription
Phone: (+385 1) 21 00 455
E-mail: prodaja@dzs.hr