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Iris Spranger (SPD, M), Senator for Interior Affairs, Digitalization and Sport from Berlin, speaks at the press conference to present the police crime statistics and politically motivated crime 2023 in Berlin.
© Hannes P Albert/dpa
Police statistics only reflect a portion of crimes because many crimes go unreported.
But the statistics can show trends such as more violence.
Berlin - Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) reacted with concern to the increase in acts of violence in Berlin.
Around 48,200 physical injuries were officially recorded by the police last year, said Spranger at the presentation of the 2023 crime statistics on Wednesday.
That is 3,829 more cases than in the previous year and the highest number in the past ten years.
A “brutalization” is evident.
The police also registered more crimes overall, the number rose by 3.2 percent to 536,697.
However, the city continues to grow and, in relation to the number of residents, the crime recorded in the statistics has fallen significantly over the past 20 years, said Spranger.
She further explained that the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) had given three reasons for this increase in crimes and perpetrators across Germany: “increased mobility, economic burden and dynamic migration events”.
With regard to the acts of violence, Spranger said what was striking was the high proportion of children, young people and adolescents up to the age of 21 among the suspected perpetrators.
The police identified almost 33,000 perpetrators (plus 9.7 percent).
Almost 20 percent of them were younger than 21 years, including 1,963 children and 2,636 young people.
3,482 crimes were committed with the threat or use of knives, said Spranger.
Of the 4,528 suspects, one in three is under 21 years old.
Spranger explicitly addressed the high proportion of foreigners, 42.9 percent (previous year: 40.5 percent) of suspected perpetrators of violent crimes.
According to statistics, the proportion of foreigners living in Berlin is 23.9 percent.
There are reasons for this increase and high proportion, said Spranger: “Violence is not determined by origin, but is shaped by special circumstances.
Socialization, experiences of violence, fears are just a few of them, as well as a foreign environment, an uncertain future, little money.” Some of the physical injuries occur in refugee accommodation, where conflicts about origin or religion arise in a small space.
In addition, the number of foreigners in Berlin has continued to rise significantly in recent years and is 17 percent higher than in 2021. It is not surprising that this change also plays a role in the crime statistics.
Spranger said that humanity and order are two sides of the same coin.
“We extend a hand to those who seek help.
But we show the limits to those who take advantage of our help and violate our laws.” Therefore, integration and prevention must be strengthened.
dpa