Germany has undergone significant changes over the last ten years, which are also reflected in the police crime statistics (PKS). These statistics serve as a comprehensive mirror of crime development and prevention in the country. A comparison between the years 2013 and 2023 not only reveals changes in crime rates but also profound societal developments and adaptations within the police force itself.
The Police Crime Statistics (PKS) is a comprehensive record of police-registered offenses, aggregated from the data of individual states and systematically processed until final resolution. This foundational statistic depicts the development of crime since 2004. However, it is important to understand that only offenses reported to the authorities are included in this statistic. A multitude of offenses—especially those that fall directly under the jurisdiction of the public prosecutor, such as financial and tax crimes, perjury offenses and state security offenses—remain unaccounted for. Moreover, foreign crimes, administrative offenses and most traffic violations are not included.
Whenever eventful twists occurred over the past year, it was claimed that the number of crimes in Germany had decreased – a claim that should provoke some reflection. However, upon closer examination of the recently published statistics for Bavaria and Germany for the year 2016, a more nuanced picture emerges. In Bavaria, where the crime reporting rate increased by 3.4%, particularly in the urban centers of Munich and Upper Bavaria, reality speaks a different language: In the Bavarian capital, Munich, the crime rate even rose by a significant 9%.