PERPETRATORS OF MISDEMEANOURS, BY TYPE OF MISDEMEANOUR, 2024

In 2024, there were 100 638 accused adult perpetrators of misdemeanours, which represents an increase of 7.1% compared to 2023, while the number of those found guilty increased by 7.6% compared to the previous year.

The number of accused juvenile perpetrators of misdemeanours amounted to 2 588 in 2024, which represents an increase of 28.1% compared to 2023, while the number of those found guilty increased by 63.6% compared to the previous year.

In 2024, there were 12 375 accused legal entities – perpetrators of misdemeanours, which represents an increase of 11.7% compared to 2023, while the number of those recognised as responsible increased by 9.7% compared to the previous year.

The number of accused persons in charge – perpetrators of misdemeanours amounted to 12 448 in 2024, which represents an increase of 14.4% compared to 2023, while the number of those who were found guilty increased by 13.4% compared to the previous year.

Adult perpetrators of misdemeanours committed most misdemeanours in the field of safety in road traffic (51.9%) and juvenile perpetrators in the field of public order and peace and general safety (58.8%). Legal entities as well as persons in charge committed most misdemeanours in the field of economy (48.3% of legal entities and 46.9% of persons in charge).

G-2  JUVENILES, BY PRONOUNCED SENTENCES, 2024

G-3  LEGAL ENTITIES AND PERSONS IN CHARGE, BY TYPE OF DECISION, 2024

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Sources and methods of data collection

On the basis of the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20 and 155/23), data on misdemeanours committed by adult and juvenile persons as well as by legal entities and persons in charge are collected by regular statistical surveys, which use the following statistical reports: the Statistical Report for Accused Adult against Whom Misdemeanour Proceedings Have Been Validly Concluded (SPK-1 form), the Statistical Report for Accused Juvenile against Whom Misdemeanour Proceedings Have Been Validly Concluded (SPK-2 form) and the Statistical Report for Legal Entity and Person in Charge against Whom Misdemeanour Proceedings Have Been Validly Concluded (SPK-3 form).

Statistical reports are filled in by competent municipal courts as well as by competent state administration bodies, authorised to adjudicate in misdemeanour proceedings: tax administration offices, regional customs offices, harbour master’s offices, management body of air traffic and financial inspectorate.

The Misdemeanour Act (NN, Nos 107/07, 39/13, 157/13, 110/15, 70/17, 118/18 and 114/22) was put into effect on 1 January 2008 and, since then, it has been applied in statistical surveys.

Coverage

Statistical surveys cover all perpetrators of misdemeanours – adults, juveniles, legal entities and persons in charge – in order to examine the volume and spread of misdemeanours for the whole territory of the Republic of Croatia.

Definitions

Misdemeanours are conducts that violate or threaten public order, social discipline or other social values guaranteed and protected by the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, national and international laws, the protection of which is not possible without the misdemeanour system of sanctions and is not achieved through the penal coercion.

In terms of statistical surveys, misdemeanours cover an occurrence that starts with reporting a committed misdemeanour and ends with a valid conclusion of proceedings done by a competent misdemeanour body.

Adult perpetrator of a misdemeanour is a person who turned 18 at the time of committing a misdemeanour, and against whom misdemeanour proceedings have been validly concluded by either a decision on the termination of the proceedings, a judgement on the rejection of charges, a judgement of acquittal, or a decision by which a person is found guilty.

Juvenile perpetrator of a misdemeanour is a person who, at the time of committing a misdemeanour, turned 14 but not yet 18 years of age, and against whom misdemeanour proceedings have been validly concluded by either a decision on the termination of the proceedings or a decision by which the person has been found guilty (juveniles between 16 and 18 years of age who were sentenced to juvenile imprisonment or imposed with a fine).

According to the Misdemeanour Act (NN, Nos 107/07, 39/13, 157/13, 110/15, 70/17, 118/18 and 114/22), educational measure is applied to a juvenile perpetrator of a misdemeanour by court decision. In the pronunciation of the decision, it is only stated which measure is applied, but the juvenile perpetrator is not pronounced guilty of the committed misdemeanour.

Person in charge – perpetrator of a misdemeanour is a person in charge (director, accounting manager, cashier etc.) in a legal entity (trade company, state body etc.) against whom misdemeanour proceedings have been validly concluded by either a decision on the termination of the proceedings, a judgement on the rejection of charges, a judgement of acquittal, or a decision by which the person has been found guilty.

Legal entities – perpetrators of misdemeanours are domestic legal entities (for example, trade companies, state bodies, unions and alike) as well as foreign entities considered as legal entities under Croatian law, against which misdemeanour proceedings have been validly concluded by either a decision on the termination of the proceedings, a judgement on the rejection of charges, a judgement of acquittal, or a decision by which the legal entity has been found responsible.

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
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Persons responsible:
Mario Vlajčević,  Director of Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Maja Martinac Turčinović and Dubravka Rogić-Hadžalić

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