Police recorded crime reaches second lowest level since 1998/99

Date published: 28 November 2025

New official statistics published today by NISRA statisticians in the Police Service of Northern Ireland present trends in police recorded crime in Northern Ireland from 1998/99 to 2024/25.

Key findings

• 95,968 crimes were recorded in 2024/25, the second lowest level since the data series began in 1998/99. The lowest level was 94,197 offences recorded in 2020/21 during COVID-19 restrictions.
• Crime rate stands at 50 offences per 1,000 population in 2024/25, compared with 87 per 1,000 population in England and Wales. Northern Ireland's peak was 81 crimes per 1,000 population in 2002/03.
• Violence against the person and sexual offences now account for 47% of all crime, compared with just 19% in 1998/99. Robbery, theft and criminal damage have fallen from 78% to 39% of all crime over the same period.
• Sexual offences reached 4,244 in 2024/25, three and a half times higher than the lowest level recorded in 2000/01. Rape offences (1,218) are more than five times higher than the 2000/01 low.
• Burglary and robbery at record lows, both offence types recorded their lowest ever levels in 2024/25, at around one sixth of the highest figures recorded in 2002/03.
• Shoplifting at 8,586 offences is down slightly from the record high of 8,974 in 2023/24.
• Detection rate reached 31.3%, joint second highest since 1998/99. Charge or summons accounted for 74% of sanction outcomes, with community resolutions representing 20%.
• Belfast City recorded the highest crime rate at 92 crimes per 1,000 population, followed by Derry City & Strabane at 64 per 1,000. Other districts ranged from 30 per 1,000 in Mid Ulster to 45 per 1,000 in Antrim and Newtownabbey.

About the publication

The full report provides comprehensive analysis of police recorded crime trends over more than 25 years, including:

• Detailed breakdowns by crime type and policing district
• Long-term trends from 1998/99 to present
• Outcome rates for recorded offences
• Analysis of domestic abuse-related incidents
• Methodology and data quality information
• Comparisons with previous financial years

Further information

Read the full report: Police Recorded Crime in Northern Ireland 1998/99 to 2024/25