Crime in Portugal
Encyclopedia
Crime in Portugal is characterized by low levels of gun violence
and homicide
, compared to other developed countries
. Crime
statistics are compiled annually by the Portuguese
Ministry of Internal Administration and the Polícia de Segurança Pública
which represents crimes reported to the police
.
The country's overall crime rate is reflected through index crimes, which include homicide
, forcible rape
, robbery
, assault
, classified as violent crime
s. Property crimes include burglary
, larceny
/theft
, motor vehicle theft
, and arson
. Statistics for index offenses are generally available for both the country as a whole and by region. While the crime rate rose in the 1990s, bringing it to an all-time high during much of this period, it still is low compared to other developed countries, and has decreased in the 2000s. However, violent crime
has risen during the same period and reached record highs. Portugal's security and peace indicators compare very favourably to other countries. According to the 2009 Global Peace Index
rankings, Portugal is the 14th most peaceful country in the world.
; however, petty crime is a reality in some areas. Ordinary citizens may become targets of pickpockets and purse snatchers at crowded popular tourist sites, restaurants, or on public transportation in the largest cities, in particular within Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas. While thieves may operate anywhere, the largest number of reports of theft received by the authorities usually are from the heavily populated areas and major tourist destinations.
Portugal's largest metropolitan areas of Lisbon
and Porto are the main sources of both petty crime and violent crime.
Crime was a major source of discontent, and sentiment that Portugal was becoming increasingly unsafe since the country became a destination for several thousand emigrants from diverse locations around the globe (in particular from Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Brazil and the former Portuguese territories in Africa - the PALOP
countries) after 1990, led to the dismissal of Internal Administration Minister Fernando Gomes (a former mayor of the city of Porto) in the early 2000s on the heels of gang violence that made headlines.
Along with the gang crime wave, which involved large groups of youths, wreaking havoc on commuter train lines and robbing gasoline (petrol) stations, the country was also shocked by attacks on nightclubs, and a rise of violent crime related with local and international organized crime which includes a number of gangs particularly active in Greater Lisbon and Greater Porto areas. In addition, with the development and modernization of the economy
within the globalization
process, corporate crime
, financial crime and corruption
are heavily punished and increasingly important issues.
, which is used in the entire European Union
. The law enforcement system assists the victim to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how further legal procedures could be used. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is the responsibility of local authorities which include main police forces such as the Polícia Judiciária
(criminal investigation police), the Polícia de Segurança Pública
(regular urban police), and the Guarda Nacional Republicana (gendarmerie), officers can help the victim to understand the criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed. Portugal has a crime victim's assistance program, administered through an organization known by its acronym, "APAV" (Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima).
, even unknowingly, may be arrested or imprisoned. In the 19th century, Portugal was one of the first countries in the world to abolish the death penalty. Maximum jail sentences are limited to 25 years.
. In 2001 Portugal decriminalized possession of effectively all drugs that are still illegal in other developed nations including, but not limited to, marijuana, cocaine
, heroin, and LSD
. While possession is legal, trafficking and possession of more than "10 days worth of personal use" are still punishable by jail time and fines. Since decriminalization was implemented, Portugal has seen rapid improvement in the number of deaths from drug overdoses as well as a decline in new HIV infections.
Gun violence
Gun violence defined literally means the use of a firearm to threaten or inflict violence or harm. Gun violence may be broadly defined as a category of violence and crime committed with the use of a firearm; it may or may not include actions ruled as self-defense, actions for law enforcement, or...
and homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
, compared to other developed countries
Developed country
A developed country is a country that has a high level of development according to some criteria. Which criteria, and which countries are classified as being developed, is a contentious issue...
. Crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
statistics are compiled annually by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Ministry of Internal Administration and the Polícia de Segurança Pública
Polícia de Segurança Pública
The Polícia de Segurança Pública - PSP is the Portuguese police force that works in large urban areas. Rural towns and areas are under the protection of the Portuguese Republican National Guard...
which represents crimes reported to the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
.
The country's overall crime rate is reflected through index crimes, which include homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
, forcible rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
, classified as violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
s. Property crimes include burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, larceny
Larceny
Larceny is a crime involving the wrongful acquisition of the personal property of another person. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of England into their own law. It has been abolished in England and Wales,...
/theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
, motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
, and arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
. Statistics for index offenses are generally available for both the country as a whole and by region. While the crime rate rose in the 1990s, bringing it to an all-time high during much of this period, it still is low compared to other developed countries, and has decreased in the 2000s. However, violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
has risen during the same period and reached record highs. Portugal's security and peace indicators compare very favourably to other countries. According to the 2009 Global Peace Index
Global Peace Index
The Global Peace Index is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations' and regions' peacefulness. It is the product of Institute for Economics and Peace and developed in consultation with an international panel of peace experts from peace institutes and think tanks with data collected...
rankings, Portugal is the 14th most peaceful country in the world.
Overview
Portugal has a relatively low rate of violent crimeViolent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
; however, petty crime is a reality in some areas. Ordinary citizens may become targets of pickpockets and purse snatchers at crowded popular tourist sites, restaurants, or on public transportation in the largest cities, in particular within Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas. While thieves may operate anywhere, the largest number of reports of theft received by the authorities usually are from the heavily populated areas and major tourist destinations.
Portugal's largest metropolitan areas of Lisbon
Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Lisbon Metropolitan Area is a territorial zone that includes 18 municipalities in Portugal. The smaller Grande Lisboa area is a subregion of the NUTS II Lisbon Region by its own right....
and Porto are the main sources of both petty crime and violent crime.
- Greater Lisbon: Theft is widespread in tourist destinations in the Greater Lisbon area such as the towns of SintraSintraSintra is a town within the municipality of Sintra in the Grande Lisboa subregion of Portugal. Owing to its 19th century Romantic architecture and landscapes, becoming a major tourist centre, visited by many day-trippers who travel from the urbanized suburbs and capital of Lisbon.In addition to...
, CascaisCascaisCascais is a coastal town in Cascais Municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres west of Lisbon, with about 35,000 residents. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal...
, and MafraMafra, PortugalMafra is a town in Mafra Municipality in Portugal.The town is 28 km north-west from the center of Lisbon. It is mostly known for the sumptuous Palácio de Mafra , which also makes it a popular tourist destination in the Lisbon area...
. Casal Ventoso, a neighborhood of LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
where drug traffickers and drug users used to gather, was demolished in response to its increasingly unsavory reputation. AmadoraAmadoraAmadora is a city and a municipality in Portugal, in the northwest of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The city and municipality population is 175,872 in eleven freguesias . With an area of 23.77 km², it is the most densely populated municipality of Portugal...
the municipality where Buraca and the feared Cova da Moura neighborhood is located, a stopping point of many of the displaced people of the former Casal Ventoso, and Marvila, a parish in eastern Lisbon municipality, as well as some areas of the municipalities of OdivelasOdivelasOdivelas is a civil parish in Odivelas Municipality in Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal.. The city has a population of 50,846. The municipality is composed of 7 parishes, and is located in the District of Lisbon....
, LouresLouresLoures Municipality is a municipality to the north of Lisbon. Created on 26 July 1886 by a royal decree, the municipality currently occupies an area of 169 km² and has about 200,000 inhabitants . It borders the municipalities of Odivelas, Sintra, Mafra, Arruda dos Vinhos, Vila Franca de Xira...
and Vila Franca de XiraVila Franca de XiraVila Franca de Xira is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 317.7 km² and a total population of 133,224 inhabitants. Situated on the west bank of the Tagus River, just 32 km north-east of the Portuguese capital Lisbon, Vila Franca de Xira is said to have been founded by French...
around the Portuguese capital, have a higher incidence of crime. Automobile break-ins sometimes occur in parking areas at tourist attractions and near restaurants. There are reports of organized crime and gangs.
- Greater Porto: There have been reports of theft and violent crime in the area. Some places such as train stations, the Ribeira neighborhood in PortoPortoPorto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, as well as some areas of GondomarGondomar, PortugalGondomar is one of three cities in Gondomar Municipality, Portugal....
and ValongoValongoValongo is a Portuguese municipality located in the District of Porto, the city population is 18,698, and the municipality is composed of 5 parishes, of which three are cities and has a total population of 97,814 inhabitants.The two most populous cities in the Valongo municipality are Ermesinde,...
municipalities have been especially problematic. There are reports of organized crime and gangs.
- Algarve: There are no reports of organized crime or gangs, however, as a major centre of international tourism and located in a corner of Europe close to the North of Africa, the region has been noted by the growing number of cases related with drug trafficking. Pickpockets and other petty criminals exist in moderate numbers.
- AzoresAzoresThe Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
(archipelago): Pickpocketing and purse snatching are not common occurrences in the Azores. There are no reports of organized crime or gangs.
- MadeiraMadeiraMadeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
(archipelago): Pickpocketing, while infrequent, may occur in some areas of FunchalFunchalFunchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
.
Crime was a major source of discontent, and sentiment that Portugal was becoming increasingly unsafe since the country became a destination for several thousand emigrants from diverse locations around the globe (in particular from Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Brazil and the former Portuguese territories in Africa - the PALOP
PALOP
The Portuguese-speaking African countries are a group of five African countries where the Portuguese language is the official language: Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe. Together with Portugal, Brazil and East Timor, these countries form the Community of...
countries) after 1990, led to the dismissal of Internal Administration Minister Fernando Gomes (a former mayor of the city of Porto) in the early 2000s on the heels of gang violence that made headlines.
Along with the gang crime wave, which involved large groups of youths, wreaking havoc on commuter train lines and robbing gasoline (petrol) stations, the country was also shocked by attacks on nightclubs, and a rise of violent crime related with local and international organized crime which includes a number of gangs particularly active in Greater Lisbon and Greater Porto areas. In addition, with the development and modernization of the economy
Economy of Portugal
The Economy of Portugal is a high income mixed economy. The Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 edition placed Portugal in the 43rd position out of 134 countries and territories....
within the globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
process, corporate crime
Corporate crime
In criminology, corporate crime refers to crimes committed either by a corporation , or by individuals acting on behalf of a corporation or other business entity...
, financial crime and corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
are heavily punished and increasingly important issues.
Victims
Victims of a crime must report to the nearest police department. The national telephone emergency number is 1121-1-2
112 is the principal emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from any telephone or any mobile phone in order to reach emergency services in the European Union , its candidates for accession, members of the EEA agreement, as well as several other countries in the world...
, which is used in the entire European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. The law enforcement system assists the victim to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how further legal procedures could be used. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is the responsibility of local authorities which include main police forces such as the Polícia Judiciária
Polícia Judiciária
The Polícia Judiciária is the main police branch of criminal investigation in Portugal, dedicated to fighting criminality, organized crime, terrorism, drugs, corruption and financial crimes...
(criminal investigation police), the Polícia de Segurança Pública
Polícia de Segurança Pública
The Polícia de Segurança Pública - PSP is the Portuguese police force that works in large urban areas. Rural towns and areas are under the protection of the Portuguese Republican National Guard...
(regular urban police), and the Guarda Nacional Republicana (gendarmerie), officers can help the victim to understand the criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed. Portugal has a crime victim's assistance program, administered through an organization known by its acronym, "APAV" (Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima).
Criminal penalties
Persons violating Portugal's lawsLaw of Portugal
The Law of Portugal is the legal system that applies in Portugal. The Portuguese legal system is a civil law or continental legal system, based on Roman law...
, even unknowingly, may be arrested or imprisoned. In the 19th century, Portugal was one of the first countries in the world to abolish the death penalty. Maximum jail sentences are limited to 25 years.
Tolerance of drugs
Portugal has arguably the most liberal laws concerning possession of illicit drugs in the Western worldWestern world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
. In 2001 Portugal decriminalized possession of effectively all drugs that are still illegal in other developed nations including, but not limited to, marijuana, cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, heroin, and LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
. While possession is legal, trafficking and possession of more than "10 days worth of personal use" are still punishable by jail time and fines. Since decriminalization was implemented, Portugal has seen rapid improvement in the number of deaths from drug overdoses as well as a decline in new HIV infections.
Noted cases
Examples of noted criminal cases include:- Alves Reis and the Portuguese Bank Note Crisis.
- Apito DouradoApito DouradoThe Apito Dourado affair is a corruption sports scandal in Portuguese football that first arose in 2004. Portuguese Judiciary Police investigators named several football personalities as suspects of corrupting or attempting to corrupt referees, including Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, chairman of...
. - Casa Pia child sexual abuse scandalCasa Pia child sexual abuse scandalThe Casa Pia child sexual abuse scandal was a case of child sexual abuses involving a number of children and employees at Casa Pia, a Portuguese state-run institution for the education and support of poor children and under-age orphans...
. - McCann case.
- Moderna UniversityModerna UniversityModerna University ' was a Portuguese private university headquartered in Lisbon, with departments in Setúbal, Porto and Beja. The institution was authorized by the Portuguese Ministry of Education to provide university higher education services in 1994...
case. - Independente UniversityIndependente UniversityIndependente University was a private university, headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, founded in 1993 by Luís Arouca, Rui Verde and Amadeu Lima Carvalho...
case. - Dona BrancaDona BrancaMaría Branca dos Santos, more commonly referred to as "Dona" Branca was a Portuguese criminal known chiefly for maintaining a Ponzi scheme in Portugal between 1970 and 1984 that paid a ten percent monthly interest...
case. - Murder of Joana CiprianoMurder of Joana CiprianoJoana Cipriano was an eight-year-old Portuguese girl who disappeared from the village of Figueira, near Portimão, in the Algarve, on 12 September 2004...
. - Saco Azul de FelgueirasFátima FelgueirasMaria de Fátima da Cunha Felgueiras is the mayor of the Felgueiras municipality, in northern Portugal.-Personal life:...
. - Oeiras Mayor Isaltino Morais who was convicted for an illegal scheme involving a nephew's bank account in Switzerland. case involving Portuguese Prime Minister José SócratesJosé SócratesJosé Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH , commonly known by José Sócrates , is a Portuguese politician who was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 12 March 2005 to 21 June 2011....
. - Face OcultaFace OcultaFace Oculta is a Portuguese nationwide political corruption, money-laundering and corporate tax evasion scandal, first noticed in October 2009. The Polícia Judiciária investigated the business group headed by Manuel Godinho, suspected of economic crimes and bribery of managers of public funds...
(Hiden Face), nationwide political corruptionPolitical corruptionPolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, money launderingMoney launderingMoney laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
and corporate tax evasionTax evasionTax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
scandal involving several companies (Petrogal and Portucel SoporcelPortucel SoporcelThe Portucel Soporcel Group is a Portuguese pulp and paper company, which resulted from the 2001 merger of the firms Portucel and Soporcel....
's employees were investigated), GNRPortuguese National Republican GuardThe Portuguese National Republican Guard is the gendarmerie of Portugal. Members of the GNR are soldiers, who, unlike the agents of the Public Security Police , are subject to military law and organisation...
officers, town hall civil servants, businesspersons (most prominently Manuel Godinho), and former politicians (noted examples include Armando VaraArmando VaraArmando António Martins Vara is a Portuguese politician, member of the Portuguese Socialist Party, and banking administrator. He enrolled in philosophy, at the New University of Lisbon, leaving the institution whithout being awarded a degree...
(Millennium bcp) and José Penedos (RENRede Eléctrica NacionalREN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais, SGPS, S.A. is a Portuguese company. Its main activities are global management of the country's Public Electricity Supply System , with the aim of guaranteeing the stability and security of electricity supply; operation and development of the national very-high...
)). - The Telheiras rapistTelheiras rapistThe Telheiras rapist , real name Henrique Paulino Sotero , is a Portuguese engineer and violent sex offender who admitted responsibility for around 40 rapes in the Greater Lisbon area from 2008 to 2009...
.