Murders are down, but there's a boom in underage killers

Homicides in Italy are decreasing, decreasing by a third in ten years, but crimes involving minors are increasing, both as perpetrators and victims.

This is the snapshot of the latest report produced by the Criminal Analysis Service of the Criminalpol of the Police, which shows that the percentage of under-18s who have committed a crime has almost tripled in one year. The data from the police force say, in fact, that in 2024 the incidence will stand at 11% of the total number of murders detected, compared to 4% the previous year.

But that's not all: the numbers also show that the percentage of minors killed has almost doubled: in 2024 it is 7% compared to 4% in 2023. Overall in Italy, voluntary homicides have decreased by 33% in a decade: from 475 committed in 2015 to 319 in 2024. A constant trend that is also confirmed in 2024, when the decrease was 6% compared to 2023 (when the crimes were 340). The greatest decline concerns those linked to mafia-type crime: from 53 in 2015 to 15 in 2024, with a clear drop of 72%. In this regard, the report underlines a consideration that investigators and investigators have been repeating for some time now. "The sharp decrease in the number of murders attributable to organized crime is significant of how the mafias in Italy are changing their skin: they are trying to avoid making noise in order to be able to dedicate themselves more effectively to criminal activities and above all to the infiltration of the legal economy".

The data also shows a 38% decrease in 10 years of male victims (from 330 to 206) and a 22% decrease in female victims (from 145 to 113). In 2024, almost half of the crimes (49%) originated from a degenerate argument, while as regards the modus operandi, the use of improper weapons and bladed weapons is in first place (133 cases in 2024 compared to 156 in 2023). Firearms were used in 98 cases in 2024 and 101 in 2023. Poisoning was detected in only 6 cases in 2024 and 4 in 2023. Looking at the individual realities, Campania is the region where the most murders occurred, followed by Lombardy and Lazio, and is in contrast with a +31% compared to 2023. "A large decrease in murders clearly emerges" in our country, comments Antonio Basilicata, director of the criminal analysis service of the Central Criminal Police Directorate. A trend that "is also confirmed by Eurostat and which places Italy among the safest countries for this type of crime". In fact, our country, in 2022 - latest Eurostat data available - "presents a crime rate, i.e. the ratio of voluntary homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, of 0.55. Taking into account the European average of 0.87 - concludes Basilicata - Italy is therefore in an optimal position".