Open Data Albania is bringing the statistical data related to criminal offenses against children, marriage and family uo to date. These offenses are provided for in section IX of the Penal Code. The research is based on data obtained from the Statistical Yearbooks of the Ministry of Justice. In total, this section consists of figures of criminal offenses provided for in twelve articles. Criminal offences, whose object is the establishment of legal and social relations for the protection of minors, are: Abandonment of Minors, Maltreatment of Minors, Failure to Provide the Means of Living, Wrongful Taking of a Child, Exchange of Children, Hiding or Intentional Child Exchange, Trafficking of Minors and Inducing Minors to Crime.

During the 2005-2021 period, a total of 10,544 court proceedings and 8,889 perpetratior convictions were recorded for the criminal offenses contained in this section. Specifically, an average of 620 court proceedings per year. The year with the most court proceedings is 2018, with 1,387 court proceedings. Whereas, 2021 marks the year with the highest number of perpetrators convicted with a final verdict, with a total of 1,237 convictions.



Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Ministry of Justice
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania



Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Ministry of Justice
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania

The criminal offense recording the highest number of legal harges is Article 130/a, Domestic Violence, an article integrated into our Criminal Code after 2012. Domestic Violence does not only refer to physical actions of a violent nature, but also to psychological pressure. More specifically, Article 130/a provides as criminal actions beating, serious threat of murder or serious injury and intentional injury. These actions will constitute a criminal offense only when they are committed against the subjects expressly provided for by the provision, spouse, ex-spouse, cohabitant or ex-cohabitant, close relative or close relative of the perpetrator of the criminal offense.



Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Ministry of Justice
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania

Cases of domestic violence have been increasing since 2012, marking the highest number in 2021 with 1,094 court cases and 1,147 convictions respectively. In the 2005-2021 time frame, of all court cases for criminal offenses against children, marriage and the family, 67% are related to domestic violence.

Another criminal offense that is quite problematic in relation to the respect for the individual in the family, is Article 130 Coercion or obstruction to live together or to enter into or dissolve a marriage. This article has recorded a high number of cases, with over 200 such in the years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. This testifies to the problems of the Albanian society vis-à-vis mutual respect in matters of marriage, as well as the reference and conscientiousness to not infringe on the individual freedom of choice.



Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Ministry of Justice
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania

Failure to Provide Means of Livelihood is a criminal offense with a significant volume of court proceedings. There is a large gap between the number of cases and convicion of perpetrators for this criminal offense, as well as all the offenses of this entire section, as a result of the dismissal of cases or the defendant being declared not guilty.



Source: Statistical Yearbooks of the Ministry of Justice
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania

Maltreatment of Minors is another criminal offense, which was provided as such by the legislator in 2008. Through it, the physical and psychological well-being of every person under 18 years of age is guaranteed. This offense constitutes a criminal offense and is predicted to be consumed by a certain group of subjects, such as parents, sister, brother, grandfather, grandmother, legal guardian or any person who is mandated to take care of him. From 2008 to 2021, 153 court proceedings and 125 convicted perpetrators were registered for this crime.

Encouraging a minor to commit a crime is another criminal offense, which really endangers the position of the minor because the latter is used as a means to achieve the criminal goals of the instigator. 27 criminal cases have been presented to the court, of which 22 perpetrators were involved.

Child Exchange, Article 128 (negligence) and Concealment or Intentional Exchange of Children Article 128/a, are two criminal offenses with a total of 20 court cases combined. Specifically, there are 8 court cases and 7 perpetrators for the Exchanging of Children, while there are 12 court cases and 5 perpetrators charged with Willful Concealment or Exchange of Children. Cases of abandonment of minor children remain problematic, with 168 court cases recorded for the 17 years under review.

Download excel: Criminal offenses against children, marriage and family. Court cases and convicted perpetrators for 2021
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Contributed by: Griselda Rruci
Translated by: Rezarta Cushaj