An analysis of the criminal
case flow in European
courts
Beata Gruszczyńska
University of Warsaw
Institute of Justice, Poland
GT-EVAL Group Member




One of the important element of the European justice system performance
is fair and prompt adjudication in criminal cases. Timely imposed
punishment is more efficient than a severe one. Inevitability and
promptness of penalties that satisfy the sense of rightness and have a
deterrent effect.
Cross-countries comparison of crime, as well as number of incoming
criminal cases at courts, are very risky and limited. Countries differ in
penal systems, criminal policy, perception of crime, tradition, rule of
registration, definition, etc.
Presentation shows only some quantitative results of CEPEJ data
collection, which shall be developed taking into account number of judges,
support staff, court facilities, technical equipment, computerization,
organization and court management.
Comments are provisional, highlighting the most visible differences
between countries.
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Points for discussion







Trends of crime in Europe
Limitation in cross-national comparison
Crime and incoming criminal cases to the courts
Clearance rate (CR) and gross clearance rate (GCR)
Flow of criminal cases
Disposition time of criminal cases
Cases of intentional homicide and robbery
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Sources of data

Data on criminal cases in European courts
European judicial systems. Edition 2010 (data 2008). Efficiency and
quality of justice, European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice
(CEPEJ)
http://www.coe.int/T/dghl/cooperation/cepej/default_en.asp
Edition 2010(data 2008):
https://wcd.coe.int/wcd/com.instranet.InstraServlet?command=com.instranet.C
mdBlobGet&InstranetImage=1694098&SecMode=1&DocId=1653000&Usage=2

Crime data
European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics - 2010
http://www.europeansourcebook.org/
Fourth edition: http://www.europeansourcebook.org/ob285_full.pdf
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Cross-countries and cross-clusters comparison
Regional clusters used by WHO (geographical sub-regions)
CIS
South-Eastern
Europe
Baltic
Countries
Central
Europe
Southern
Europe
Western
Europe
in which
AngloSaxon
Nordic
countries
ARM
ALB
LVA
SVK
CYP
SWI
IRE
ICE
MDA
MDK
LTU
POL
MAT
FRA
UKE1
England and
Wales
NOR
UKR
BIH
EST
CZH
POR
AUT
UKE2
Northern
Ireland
DEN
GEO
TUR
HUN
GRE
NET
UKE3
Scotland
FIN
UKR
ROM
SVN
ITA
DEU
AZE
BUL
SPAIN
BEL
CRO
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
SWE
Cross-countries and cross-clusters comparison
European Union versus non EU members
EU 15 + EFTA
EU 12 (accession in
2004+)
Austria
the Netherlands
Belgium
Norway
Denmark
Portugal
Finland
Spain
France
Sweden
Germany
Switzerland
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Ireland
UK Scotland
Luxemburg
UK England and Wales
UK Northern Ireland
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Non EU members
Albania
Armenia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Georgia
Moldova
Russian Federation
FROMacedonia
Turkey
Ukraine
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Total crime rate in 2000-2007
European Sourcebook data
(per 100 000)
8000
•The biggest
rates are in
Western
European
countries, what
is caused,
besides others,
the higher
reporting rates
to the police
6000
4000
2000
0
2000
2001
2002
EU15 & EFTA
2003
2004
EU12 (2004+)
2005
Non EU
2006
2007
Average
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
•The lowest
rates are in
non-EU
member states
Total crime rate in 2007 by geographical regions
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
0
CIS
(Commonwealth
of Independent
States)
5
SouthEastern
Europe
10
15
Baltic
Countries
20
Central
Europe
25
Southern
Europe
30
35
Western
Europe
40
in which:
AngloSaxon
45
Nordic
Countries
ARM
ALB
LVA
SVK
CYP
SWI
UKE2
ICE
MDA
MDK
LTU
POL
MAT
FRA
UKE1
NOR
UKR
BIH
EST
CZH
POR
AUT
UKE3
DEN
GEO
TUR
HUN
GRE
NET
IRE
FIN
UKR
ROM
SVN
ITA
DEU
SPAIN
BEL
BUL
CRO
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
SWE
Average annual growth rate in 2000-2007 (%)
by type of crime
4
3,1
1,7
2
0,5
0
-2
Theft of
motor
vehicle
Domestic
burglary
Intentional
homicide
completed
Burglary
Robbery
Intentional
homicide
Assault
-0,2
-4
-4,2
-6
-5,6
-5,3
-5,1
-6,2
-8
-10
-10,1
-12
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Rape
Drug
offences
Total
Trend of crime
and limitation of cross-national comparison
In Europe, total criminal offences cover different situation and comparison is limited; trend of
total offences is slowly decreasing

The violent crime (except rape) was growing near 2002 and slowly decreasing in 2007.
In many countries increase of assault is related to new legal provisions

Robbery, theft of motor vehicles are decreasing except the group of non EU

Domestic burglary is decreasing except Albania and Armenia

Drug offences are increasing in almost all European countries
Main reasons of incomparability of crime in Europe

Penal systems


System of registration



(petty offences, traffic offences, illegal parking, etc.)
“victimless” offences (illegal possession of arms, drunk driving, drug offences)
Counting rule of offences and offenders




Scope of criminalization
time point when offence is recorded (“input”, “output”)
multiply (several) offences committed (the most serious or ..)
serial or continuous offending
“Dark number” of crime (unreported or unregistered offences)
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Incoming criminal cases in 2008
CEPEJ data
(per 100 000)
Croatia
8238
FYROMacedonia
6896
Bosnia and Herzegovina
mean 2573
median 1718
min
93
max over 8000
6300
Slovenia
4832
Montenegro
4197
Malta
3717
Netherlands
3047
from 1000 to 3000: Switzerland Ukraine Finland Portugal Latvia
France Denmark UK-Scotland Turkey Estonia Poland Italy Hungary Spain
Czech Republic
•The highest rate is in
Cyprus (over 11000),
Croatia,
FYROMacedonia
and Bosnia and
Herzegovina
•In about 40% of
countries rate does
not exceed 1000
•From 1000 to 3000 in
about 40% countries.
991
Sweden
904
Serbia
822
Romania
795
Russian Federation
792
Austria
718
Slovakia
696
Lithuania
490
Georgia
347
Bulgaria
344
Norway
331
Moldova
277
Albania
232
Armenia
94
0
1000
2000
CEPEJ December
2010, Criminal
Cases
Flow
in
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
3000
9000
Crime and incoming criminal cases: link?
Crime
Incoming cases per 100 th
Incoming cases per 100 th
low
Incoming cases per 100 th
medium
high
High crime
Austria
Sweden
Denmark
France
Finland
Germany (2006)
UK Scotland
UK England and Wales
Belgium
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
Medium
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Russian Federation
Latvia
Portugal
Switzerland
Croatia
Estonia
Hungary
Low crime
Albania
Armenia
Bulgaria
Georgia
Turkey
Ukraine
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cyprus
FYROMacedonia
rate
crime rate
rate
1.
2.
Moldova
Romania
Slovakia
Malta
Poland
Slovenia
Relatively high crime rates are observed mostly in Western European countries, while the low and medium
rates are in Eastern Europe.
The variety in incoming case rates is related to the different criminal policy, divergence in the
reaction on crime, e.g. simplified proceeding, sanctions imposed by prosecutors without
coming to the courts, etc.
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Proportion of incoming criminal cases related to
severe offences and misdemeanors:
• In Italy, Portugal,
Estonia, France,
Hungary and Poland:
% of incoming cases of
serious offences is
higher that 50%.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
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Cases of severe offences
Cases of misdemeanors
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
• In some countries
(Albania, Serbia,
FYROMacedonia,
Croatia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia and
Denmark) % of
“serious cases” is below
20%.
% of pending cases at 1st January 2008 in the
number of incoming cases
120
119
• The biggest backlog
107
98
93
90
88
87
86
76
65
60
49
45
39
34
30
32
30
30
30
27
25
18
14
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CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
(from previous years)
were in Slovenia and
Portugal (over 100% of
incoming cases in
2008).
• Large backlogs were
in Montenegro, Croatia,
FYROMacedonia, Italy
and Turkey (from 80%
to 100% of the number
of new cases in 2008).
• The best situation
was in Estonia, where
backlogs was about 4%
of new cases, followed
by Russian Federation
(14%) and the
Netherlands (18%).
Clearance Rate and Gross Clearance Rate
1)
Clearance Rate (CR) is the relationship between the
number of resolved cases and the number of incoming cases
in a given year
CR = resolved cases / incoming cases
The second measure GCR takes into account the total
number of cases to be solved
2)
Gross Clearance Rate (GCR) is the relationship between
the number of resolved cases and the total number of cases
handled in the courts in a given year (pending cases from
previous periods and incoming cases)
GCR = resolved cases / pending cases + incoming cases
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Clearance rate of criminal severe cases in 2008
(%)
Clearance rate of criminal severe cases in %
126
Montenegro
124
San Mari no
Andorra
117
Georgi a
116
FYROMacedoni a
116
Portugal
113
108
Monaco
106
Croati a
Sl oveni a
106
Serbi a
105
Bel gi um
105
Russi an Federati on
104
101
France
100
Pol and
Netherl ands
99
Austri a
99
Hungary
99
99
Estoni a
98
Bosni a and Herzegovi na
98
UK-Engl and and Wal es
T urkey
95
Ital y
94
Swi tzerl and
94
Mal ta
92
Al bani a
92
Denmark
91
Latvi a
91
Spai n
90
Armeni a
92
0
20
40
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
60
80
100
120
140
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
• In about half of
countries (out of 30) the
clearance rate exceeded
100%, what meant that
it was possible to reduce
the backlog from
previous years.
• In 9 countries the
clearance rates were
lower or equal 95%,
what means that
backlogs from previous
years increased by
another 20% - in
Armenia and about 10%
- in Spain, Latvia,
Denmark, Albania and
Malta.
Gross clearance rate of criminal severe cases in
2008 (%)
• The best
results were
achieved by
countries in
which the
backlogs from
previous years
were small.
Gross clearance rate of criminal severe cases in %
120
98
90
60
95
91
85
83
79
78
76
75
75
71
70
69
64
64
62
60
59
56
55
54
54
52
51
50
48
26
30
Ru
s
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
It
Sl aly
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Cr
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Al n
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Tu
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ey
0
• Slovenia, Italy,
Turkey and
Albania
managed to
settle only about
50% of the
cases.
[GCR could be
calculated for 27
countries, which
provided
relevant data]
Flow of criminal severe case
(per 100 000)
Flow of criminal severe cases per 100 thousand (1)
• The best result
was in Estonia and
the Netherlands,
where the backlogs
from previous
period were small.
4500
3000
1500
0
Ita
ia
sn
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B
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Incoming cases in 2008
e
rk
Tu
y
ry
ga
n
Hu
ia
at
o
Cr
nd
la
o
P
s
nd
a
l
r
he
t
Ne
Pending cases at 1 January 2008
E
ia
on
t
s
a
M
RO
Y
F
ia
on
d
ce
n
ai
Sp
Resolved cases in 2008
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
• In Montenegro,
Portugal, Slovenia
and
FYROMacedonia
number of resolved
cases exceeded
number of
incoming cases and
backlogs could be
slightly reduced.
Flow of criminal severe case
(per 100 000)
continuation
• Latvia, Denmark
and Switzerland
increased backlogs
600
• Belgium, Russian
Federation, Serbia
and Georgia could
slightly reduced
pending cases
400
200
0
Belgium
Austria
Incoming cases in 2008
Latvia
Denmark
Switzerland
UK-England
and Wales
Pending cases at 1 January 2008
Russian
Federation
Serbia
Georgia
Resolved cases in 2008
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Pending criminal serious cases at the end of 2008
(per 100 000)
• The highest
backlog has been
observed in Italy
(over 2000).
Countries with backlogs higher then 100 per 100 thousand
2500
2022
2000
1500
1081
1030
1000
1007
983
802
685
573
500
552
524
438
245
120
109
108
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
a
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ia
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ga
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ia
Sl
Ita
ly
0
• In Slovenia,
Portugal and
Turkey the pending
cases were over
1000.
Disposition time of criminal severe cases
in days
• Average duration
is over 190 days
(over half a year).
450
390
365
346
331
305 305 299
300
• In Slovenia and
Italy disposition
time is longer than
1 year.
288
252
227
207 201
165 156
148
150
8
122 118 116
105
95
92
77
67
35
18
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CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
• Courts in Belgium,
the Netherlands,
Russian Federation
and Estonia needs
much shorter time
to resolved criminal
severe cases than
in other states –
not more than 3
months.
Clearance rate and gross clearance rate for cases
of robbery
140
120
• CR (clearance rate)
was the biggest in
Georgia, Switzerland
and Bulgaria
100
80
• The highest GCR
(gross clearance rate)
was in Turkey, Russian
Federation and Armenia
60
40
20
G
Sw eorg
ia
i tz
er
la
n
Bu d
lg
ar
ia
Tu
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Ru
ey
Li
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hu
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inl
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Ar na
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Ne
e
th ni a
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la
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Az
s
er
ba
ij a
n
0
Clearence Rate
Gross Clearence Rate
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Note: only few
countries provided
relevant information
about cases of robbery
Robbery in Europe in 2000-2007
(per 100 000)
Source: European Sourcebook 2010
140
120
• Robberies
declined in
many countries
100
80
• The fastest
decreasing was
in new EU
member states
60
40
20
0
2000
2001
2002
EU15 & EFTA
2003
2004
EU12 (2004+)
2005
Non EU
2007
2006
Average
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
Clearance rate and gross clearance rate for
cases of intentional homicide
160
136
111
120
106
105
103
103
102
101
97
95
80
93
62
49
40
Clearence Rate
ia
Ro
m
an
ia
UK
-E
M
ng
ol
do
la
nd
va
an
d
W
ale
s
Ne
th
er
la
nd
s
to
n
Es
Fi
nl
an
d
Tu
rk
ey
La
tv
ia
Sw
itz
er
FY
la
RO
nd
M
a
ce
Ru
do
ss
ni
ia
a
n
Fe
de
ra
ti o
n
Li
th
ua
ni
a
M
on
te
ne
gr
o
0
Gross Clearence Rate
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
• CR over 100%
was in 8
countries taken
into account
• The highest
GCR – over 80%
was in Russian
Federation and
Finland
Intentional homicide in Europe in 2000-2007
(per 100 000)
Source: European Sourcebook 2010
14
• Homicides
decreasing in
almost all
countries in
Europe
12
10
8
• The fastest
decline was in
non-EU member
states
6
4
2
0
2000
2001
2002
EU15 & EFTA
2003
EU12 (2004+)
2005
2006
Non EU members
Average
2004
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska
2007
Comments




Case flow monitoring shows wide differences in number of
incoming cases, resolved cases, clearance rate and pending
cases in European courts
In more than half countries gross clearance rate (as a relation
between resolved cases and total cases to solve) is lower than
70%. Countries with GCR below 50% need improving
management system very fast
Analysis on national level is only an example and should be
expanded with the additional information about e.g. the size of
the courts, the number of judges and support staff
The study shows that there is a need to improve data collection,
refine the definition to make next survey more complete and
effective.
CEPEJ December 2010, Criminal Cases Flow in
European Countries, Beata Z. Gruszczyńska