During 2023, 280,322 convicted adults (18 and over) with a final judgement were registered in the Central Register of Convicted Persons for all types of offences, which was 9.2% less than the previous year. However, the number of convicted persons returned to pre-pandemic figures (COVID-19).
In 2023, 80.6% of convicted persons were men and 19.4% were women. The number of men registered decreased by 9.6% and that of women by 7.5%.
Absolute values and variation rates
The rate of convicted persons per 1,000 inhabitants aged 18 and over was 7.0. For men it was 11.6 and for women 2.6.
By age, the highest value was reached in the age groups 21 to 30 years, with a rate of 14.0 per 1,000 inhabitants.
Most of the people convicted in 2023 had Spanish nationality (72.3%). Nevertheless, considering the rate per 1,000 inhabitants aged 18 years and over, the rate of foreign persons (14.6) was 2.5 times higher than those of Spanish nationality (5.8).
Out of the total convicted persons, 74.9% were convicted for a single crime and 25.1% for more than one.
In 2023, 403,194 crimes committed were registered, 5.4% less than in the previous year. According to their typology, those with the greatest incidence were crimes against road safety (24.6% of the total), injuries (17.3%) and thefts (15.0%).
The average number of offences per convicted person was 1.4.
The highest rates of crimes committed by convicted persons per 1,000 inhabitants over 18 years of age were in the autonomous cities of Ceuta (19.9) and Melilla (18.0), and in Illes Balears (13.2).
In contrast, Castilla-La Mancha (7.1), Castilla y León (7.6) and Comunidad Foral de Navarra (8.0) recorded the lowest values.
Rates per 1,000 inhabitants aged 18 years and over
During 2023, 13,022 convicted minors (between 14 and 17 years of age) were registered in the Central Register of Sentences for Criminal Responsibility of Minors with a final judgement, for all kinds of offences, which represented a decrease of 7.2% compared to the previous year.
79.6% of convicted minors were men and 20.4% were women. The number of men registered decreased by 7.7% and women by 4.9%.
Absolute values and variation rates
The rate of convicted minors per 1,000 inhabitants aged 14 to 17 years old was 6.2. For men it was 9.6 and for women 2.6.
By age, the 17-year-old age group had the highest rate (7.5).
The majority of the convicted minors had Spanish nationality (79.2%). Nevertheless, the rate per 1,000 inhabitants ages 14 to 17 was slightly more than double for foreign nationals (11.9) than for Spanish nationals (5.5).
Of the total number of convicted minors, three out of five (61.2%) committed a single criminal offence. And two out of five (38.8%) committed more than one.
In 2023, a total of 23,662 criminal offences committed by minors were registered, 8.4% less than in the previous year. All of them were crimes. By type of crime, the highest incidences were injuries (32.5% of the total), robberies (18.8%) and thefts (9.5%).
The average number of criminal offences per convicted minor was 1.8.
The highest rates of criminal offences committed by convicted persons per 1,000 inhabitants between 14 and 17 years of age were in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla (with 59.8 and 48.7, respectively) and in Aragon (18.5).
In contrast, the Region of Murcia (6.5), Cantabria (8.2) and Galicia (8.8) had the lowest values.
Rates per 1,000 inhabitants 14 to 17 years old
In 2023, 2,867 adults were registered in the Central Register of Sex Offenders with a final judgement for crimes against sexual freedom, which was 10.4% less than in the previous year. 97.2% were men and 2.8% were women.
In the case of minors, 424 were convicted, 15.4% less than the previous year. 97.9% were men and 2.1% were women.
Adults committed 3,468 crimes, 9.6% less than in 2022. Of this total, 839 were considered sexual abuse and assault of minors under the age of 16, 996 sexual abuse1, and 646 sexual assault, of which 30 were considered rape.
For their part, minors committed 500 crimes, 21.4% less than in 2022. Of this total, 318 were considered sexual abuse and assault of minors under the age of 16, 76 sexual abuse1, and 59 sexual assault, of which five were considered rape.
Absolute Values
1Organic Law 10/2022 of 6 September on the integral guarantee of sexual freedom eliminated from the Penal Code the crime of sexual abuse and the reference to sexual indemnity, and merged, under the denomination of sexual aggression, the previous crimes of sexual abuse and sexual aggression. However, due to the fact that during one year cases are processed both in that year and in previous years (which can be processed according to the previous legislation), cases of sexual abuse may continue to appear for a few years.
Conviction Statistics: Adults and Conviction Statistics: Minors, are prepared under the Collaboration Agreement signed between the Ministry of Justice and the National Institute of Statistics (INE) on 3rd July, 2007, updated and renewed on 21st November, 2017.
The aim of both statistics is to provide detailed information on convicted adults, using confirmed sentencing, crimes committed and sentences imposed at the national, regional and provincial levels broken down by sex, age and nationality; as well as on convicted minors, criminal offences committed and measures imposed, also at the national, regional and provincial levels and broken down by sex, age and nationality.
The Penal Code reform in July 2015, in the case of adults, eliminated misdemeanours, turning them into minor crimes, meaning that the increase in the number of convicted persons and in the number of penalties is due in part to the inclusion of these new crimes. This should be taken into account when interpreting time variations in the data.
In addition, as of 2017, more detailed information on sexual offences has been provided for both adults and minors.
More information in the methodology (adults and minors) and the standardised methodological report (adults and minors).
LINE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and Code of Best Practices.
Official INE account on
@es_ine