Worrying data about crime rates in Europe have just been published. A document of the European Commission, published last week and relating to the period 1995-2000, reports that every hour over 350 thefts, robberies and acts of sexual aggression take place, figures fuelled especially by crime in the big cities and especially by the growth of juvenile delinquency and drug-related crimes. The Executive appeals to the responsible authorities of the member states to reinforce the European Network for crime prevention, which has been in operation since 2001, and to involve the regional and local authorities, that “have prime responsibility for combating phenomena of criminal violence”, in appropriate political and technical measures. The document also reaffirms the need to adopt “national policies of prevention based on the UN guidelines applicable to the prevention of crime”.
