Domestic violence and gang crime among priorities in the law

Domestic violence, juvenile delinquency and group criminality will be some of the priorities in the law on criminal policy for the 2023-2025 biennium, which was discussed today at the Superior Council for Internal Security.

“Domestic violence is an issue that continues to be a source of concern and attention and will continue to be one of the crimes that will receive greater attention in the criminal policy law. This is one of the preponderant crimes to be investigated and prevented”, the Minister of Justice told journalists at the end of the meeting of the Superior Council for Internal Security.

The draft law on criminal policy for the 2023-2025 biennium was discussed today at the meeting of the Superior Council for Internal Security, to be later approved by the Council of Ministers and delivered to the Assembly of the Republic.

Catarina Sarmento e Castro said that juvenile delinquency and group criminality will also be areas with “special attention in the next criminal policy law”, taking into account the increase in this type of crime.

“In the next criminal policy law, this will be a priority for the security forces and services. Which means that they will always have priority in prevention and investigation”, he explained.

According to data released today and which will appear in the 2022 Annual Internal Security Report (RASI), a document also analyzed at the meeting of the Superior Council for Internal Security, domestic violence increased last year by 15.1% compared to 2021 and, in relation to to 2019, it rose 3.4%.

More than 35,000 domestic violence investigations opened

According to the Minister of Justice, last year 35,626 investigations were opened in the field of domestic violence, 5028 accusations were deducted and 22,711 cases were filed, in addition to 2,514 detained by the police, 23.2% more than in 2021.

The numbers advanced today also indicate that group crime increased by 18% in 2022 compared to 2021, with 898 more participations, and juvenile delinquency rose 50.6%, with 567 more participations.

In the 2021 RASI, these two crimes had also increased, which led the Government to create a Commission for the Integrated Analysis of Delinquency and Violent Crime, which has already presented nine recommendations to the executive.

This commission is multidisciplinary and includes entities from the governing areas of Internal Administration, Justice, Education, Labour, Solidarity and Social Security and Health.

The Minister of Justice also announced that the Government is preparing a national protection strategy for victims, and a working group is currently being set up.

“We are building a comprehensive strategy involving public and private entities”, he said.

According to data released today, and contained in the RASI, general crime increased by 14.1% and violent and serious crime rose by 14.4% last year compared to 2021, but, compared to 2019, the trend remains. descendant of serious and violent crimes.