The annual Relatório Anual de Segurança Interna (RASI), (Internal Security Report) (RASI), for 2016, approved on 31st March 2017 by the Assembly of the Republic, consolidates the figures of all police, and enforcement agencies, as well as other information concerning the state of internal security in Portugal.

The very good news is that the report reveals the lowest number of overall crime, especially violent crimes in the Algarve since 1998.

Overall crime in the Algarve for 2016, was 21,515 cases, a decrease of -1.5% compared to 2015. This continues the general decrease since 2008 when the total of crimes were reported stood at 29,248 (a 26.4% decrease). The rate of decrease has been greater than Portugal as a whole, where crime fell by 21.5% during the same period.

The highest crime in terms of numbers in the Algarve is drink driving which stood at 1804 cases, followed by burglary with break-in with 1508, cases; theft from motor vehicles 1469 cases; and minor assault 1425 cases.

In the overall categories of crime in the district, crime against persons stood at 4787 cases up 5.3% against last year and crimes against property 10.381 cases, down 2% compared to 2015.

Violent crime, which includes rape, homicide serious assault and robberies stood at 998 cases an increase of 5.2%.

Safe Communities Portugal has undertaken an analysis of the report and more detailed figures provided by Direção – Geral da Politica de Justiça, to determine the crime situation for Faro (Algarve) District and identify any noticeable crime trends.

These figures do not include non-reported crime, which has not been establish due to ab absence of crime victimization surveys in Portugal.

 

The full report in English can be downloaded here.