The police

20. Apr 2023
Fewer jail sentences but more prison days and drug law breaches

In the first four years of this century, the number of prisoners and detainees increased from 100 to about 150 per year. This number has been on a steady decline since then, reaching 57 in 2022. However, the number of prison days has not declined correspondingly. The past four years in particular reveal an upward trend in prison days relative to the number of inmates. Just over 3,000 prison days were registered in 2016. By 2022, this figure had reached 4,600.

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At the start of this century, an average of 55 violations of the drug law were reported annually. This number has since risen significantly, especially since 2012, reaching an annual average of 120-130 in the past four years.

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The number offences against The Labour Protection Act have varied greatly over the years. In 2001 and 2002, the annual average was 36, dropping to 10 in the 2004-2012 period. It has increased slightly in recent years, averaging 24 in 2022.

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Violations of the weapons law were on a steady decline up to 2010 when only a single case was registered. This figure has since risen dramatically, peaking in 2021 at 47, only to drop to 22 the following year.

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