A new YouGov poll reveals that Western Europeans generally perceive crime to be on the rise in their countries, even though long-term crime rates have been declining across the region since the mid-1990s. The survey, conducted in Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, found that most respondents trust their national police, with Denmark leading at 74% expressing a lot or fair amount of confidence.
Confidence in Police Varies Across Countries
In Spain, France, Germany and Italy, between 57% and 64% of respondents reported confidence in their national police. However, Britain stood out as an outlier, with only 43% expressing confidence, while 53% said they had little confidence. This contrasts sharply with Denmark, where trust in police is highest.
Perception vs. Reality of Crime Trends
Despite falling crime rates, majorities in each country believe crime is rising. The perception ranges from 53% in Denmark to 66% in the UK, 78% in France and 80% in Italy. Similarly, when asked about violent crime, 52% of Danes and 59% of Britons thought it had increased, rising to 76% in Italy and 77% in France. In reality, crime rates, including murder, have dropped significantly since 2000, according to Eurostat data. Murder rates in France, Germany, Italy and Spain have fallen by 30% to over 50% since the late 1990s. Italy's annual murders dropped from 1,917 in 1991 to 327 in 2024, giving it one of the lowest rates in the EU. France's murder rate declined from about 2.3 per 100,000 in 1995 to roughly 1.4 per 100,000, despite recent minor increases.
Why Falling Crime Rates Go Unnoticed
Experts attribute the gap between perception and reality to high-profile incidents, such as gang-related drug violence and increased reporting of sexual and domestic violence, which dominate headlines and overshadow the long-term decline. The YouGov survey also showed that more people in France (44%) than in Germany (27%) or Denmark (11%) believed crime in their country was worse than elsewhere. Danes were more likely to view their country as safer, with 37% saying crime was lower in Denmark.
Specific Crime Concerns by Country
Respondents in Britain (60%) felt knife crime was a unique problem, compared to 40% in Germany and 24-30% in other countries. In France, 61% cited drug trafficking and 42% highlighted rioting and public disorder as more problematic than elsewhere. Spain (56%) and Italy (46%) were particularly concerned about corruption, while only 7% of Danes shared that view. Italians were most likely (41%) to see organised crime as a specific issue, referencing groups like the Camorra and 'Ndrangheta. Germans, meanwhile, felt drug trafficking and gang violence (23-25%) were less problematic for them compared to other nations.
