German police recorded 5.5 million crimes in 2025, a 5.6 percent drop from the previous year, according to the official police crime statistics presented by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on April 20, 2026.
The decline was driven by fewer illegal entries following stricter border controls and shifting migration patterns, including the change of power in Syria, which led to a more than 28 percent reduction in violations of residency, asylum, and EU freedom of movement laws.
Another contributing factor was the partial legalization of cannabis possession and cultivation in April 2024, which accounted for part of the 4.4 percent decrease in crime when excluding immigration-related offenses.
Irene Mihalic, parliamentary manager of the Greens’ Bundestag faction and a former police officer, warned against blaming migrants broadly for crime, arguing that such claims rest on unstable data and ignore root causes like poverty, lack of opportunity, and mental health struggles.
She emphasized that effective security policy must be grounded in criminological research and prioritize investment in prevention — including youth outreach, school social work, and targeted programs for men — whereas maintaining consistent state enforcement of the law.
The Greens have developed a policy paper proposing a “triple approach” of prevention, response, and victim support, acknowledging that suspects are disproportionately male and often have a migration background, which they attribute to systemic disadvantages rather than inherent traits.
Despite overall crime falling, the statistics show a 1.5 percent increase in violent crime compared to the previous year, with particularly notable growth in rape, sexual coercion, and assault cases.
Among suspects, the rise was most pronounced among non-Germans and minors, reinforcing concerns about integration challenges and youth vulnerability.
Officials stress that while migration-related crime declined due to fewer irregular entries, deeper social factors continue to drive certain offense patterns, requiring nuanced responses beyond enforcement alone.
Why did overall crime fall despite rising violence in some categories?
The decline in total crime was mainly due to reduced illegal immigration following stricter border controls and the impact of cannabis partial legalization, which lowered drug-related and residency violations, offsetting increases in sexual and homicide offenses.
What explains the increase in juvenile suspects?
Authorities cite a complex mix of poverty, limited prospects, social exclusion, mental health issues, and early exposure to violence as key drivers behind the growing number of children and teenagers appearing in crime statistics.
Are migrants being unfairly blamed for crime trends?
The Greens argue that attributing crime primarily to migration overlooks structural causes and risks stigmatizing groups, urging instead a focus on prevention and evidence-based intervention.
Irene Mihalic, parliamentary manager of the Greens’ Bundestag faction and a former police officer, warned against blaming migrants broadly for crime, arguing that such claims rest on unstable data and ignore root causes like poverty, lack of opportunity, and mental health struggles.
She emphasized that effective security policy must be grounded in criminological research and prioritize investment in prevention — including youth outreach, school social work, and targeted programs for men — whereas maintaining consistent state enforcement of the law.
The Greens have developed a policy paper proposing a “triple approach” of prevention, response, and victim support, acknowledging that suspects are disproportionately male and often have a migration background, which they attribute to systemic disadvantages rather than inherent traits.
Despite overall crime falling, the statistics show a 1.5 percent increase in violent crime compared to the previous year, with particularly notable growth in rape, sexual coercion, and assault cases.
Among suspects, the rise was most pronounced among non-Germans and minors, reinforcing concerns about integration challenges and youth vulnerability.
Officials stress that while migration-related crime declined due to fewer irregular entries, deeper social factors continue to drive certain offense patterns, requiring nuanced responses beyond enforcement alone.
Why did overall crime fall despite rising violence in some categories?
The decline in total crime was mainly due to reduced illegal immigration following stricter border controls and the impact of cannabis partial legalization, which lowered drug-related and residency violations, offsetting increases in sexual and homicide offenses.
What explains the increase in juvenile suspects?
Authorities cite a complex mix of poverty, limited prospects, social exclusion, mental health issues, and early exposure to violence as key drivers behind the growing number of children and teenagers appearing in crime statistics.
Are migrants being unfairly blamed for crime trends?
The Greens argue that attributing crime primarily to migration overlooks structural causes and risks stigmatizing groups, urging instead a focus on prevention and evidence-based intervention.
Violent crime decreased slightly, with 212,300 registered cases — a 2.3 percent drop year-on-year — but sexual offenses rose sharply, increasing by 8.5 percent in severe cases involving coercion or fatal outcomes.
At the same time, the number of juvenile suspects in violent crime rose by 3.3 percent to approximately 14,200, though the growth rate slowed compared to the prior year’s 11.3 percent increase.
The rise in homicide cases was partly influenced by a Berlin serial murder investigation involving a former palliative care physician suspected of exploiting seriously ill patients; 79 of the recorded murders were linked to this series.
Irene Mihalic, parliamentary manager of the Greens’ Bundestag faction and a former police officer, warned against blaming migrants broadly for crime, arguing that such claims rest on unstable data and ignore root causes like poverty, lack of opportunity, and mental health struggles.
She emphasized that effective security policy must be grounded in criminological research and prioritize investment in prevention — including youth outreach, school social work, and targeted programs for men — whereas maintaining consistent state enforcement of the law.
The Greens have developed a policy paper proposing a “triple approach” of prevention, response, and victim support, acknowledging that suspects are disproportionately male and often have a migration background, which they attribute to systemic disadvantages rather than inherent traits.
Despite overall crime falling, the statistics show a 1.5 percent increase in violent crime compared to the previous year, with particularly notable growth in rape, sexual coercion, and assault cases.
Among suspects, the rise was most pronounced among non-Germans and minors, reinforcing concerns about integration challenges and youth vulnerability.
Officials stress that while migration-related crime declined due to fewer irregular entries, deeper social factors continue to drive certain offense patterns, requiring nuanced responses beyond enforcement alone.
Why did overall crime fall despite rising violence in some categories?
The decline in total crime was mainly due to reduced illegal immigration following stricter border controls and the impact of cannabis partial legalization, which lowered drug-related and residency violations, offsetting increases in sexual and homicide offenses.
What explains the increase in juvenile suspects?
Authorities cite a complex mix of poverty, limited prospects, social exclusion, mental health issues, and early exposure to violence as key drivers behind the growing number of children and teenagers appearing in crime statistics.
Are migrants being unfairly blamed for crime trends?
The Greens argue that attributing crime primarily to migration overlooks structural causes and risks stigmatizing groups, urging instead a focus on prevention and evidence-based intervention.
