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How do crime suspect and conviction rates in Switzerland differ by nationality and residence status?

In 2025, Swiss citizens made up 42.13% of the 92,147 people accused under the Swiss Criminal Code, foreign permanent residents 32.26%, the asylum population 5.85% and other foreigners 19.77%; police recorded 590.78 accused per 100,000 Swiss citizens and 1,264.99 per 100,000 foreign permanent residents, who were 71.62% and 26.0% of the population at the end of 2025.

Swiss citizens: share of people accused of Criminal Code offences, 2025

42.13

% of people accused of all Criminal Code offences who belong to the group "Swiss citizens", Cases closed by police in calendar year 2025

Moderate trust, 63 of 100 Only one source (BFS PKS), so it cannot be checked against another.

Each source by year: % of people accused of all Criminal Code offences who belong to the group "Swiss citizens"
020406020102015202020252009: BFS PKS: BFS began the revised police crime statistics in 2009, with all cantonal police forces recording offences and accused persons (including citizenship and residence status) under uniform rules; BFS does not link it to earlier police statistics. · BFS PKS: In its footnote on the group "other foreigners", which includes accused persons whose residence status is unknown or not recorded, BFS gives the proportion as 12.1% unknown and 15.3% not stated for 2009, and 8.5% and 0.1% for 2025.

Recorded change in how a source reports; hover or focus the ring for details.

Show the data as a table
YearBFS, Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS), cube px-x-1903020100_102
200952.18
201051.14
201149.2
201246.72
201346.13
201447.41
201547.68
201647.38
201747.86
201848.04
201948.84
202049.92
202149.6
202246.96
202344.33
202442.34
202542.13
What this number counts
Counts
Accused persons in the BFS group "Swiss citizens" as a share of all persons accused of all Criminal Code offences
Where
Switzerland (police crime statistics, offences in Switzerland)
When
Cases closed by police in calendar year 2025; series 2009–2025 (the whole period combined, not one year)

The figure from BFS PKS, the only source that counts here.

Where the number comes from (1 source)
SourceFigure and yearDefinitionQualityCounts for
BFS, Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS), cube px-x-1903020100_102Federal Statistical Office (BFS) · Police and justice recordsRetrieved 2026-10-27
42.132025
Accused persons in the group "Schweizer Beschuldigte" (Swiss citizens) as a share of all natural persons accused of all Criminal Code offences in Switzerland: 38,821 of 92,147 in 2025.

Each person is counted once per offence and year.

Cube "Polizeilich registrierte Beschuldigte gemäss Strafgesetzbuch nach Straftat, Kanton, Aufenthaltsgruppe, Geschlecht und Altersklasse", Schweiz, both sexes, all ages; database as of 13 February 2026. Group totals match table T 19.02.02.01.18 (https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/de/36455916) for every year.

4 of 5 checks
  • Yes: Method and definitions published. BFS publishes the recording rules, residence categories and definitions in the PKS annual report and table footnotes.
  • Yes: Official statistics or peer-reviewed. Official statistics compiled by the Federal Statistical Office (BFS) from all cantonal police forces.
  • Yes: Full count or representative sample. Counts every person accused in cases police closed in the year, each person once per offence or law total; only crime known to police.
  • Yes: Raw data downloadable. The full cube (offence, canton, residence group, sex, age, 2009-2025) is downloadable as a PX file.
  • No: No known break or quality problem. Residence status is unknown or not recorded for part of the "other foreigners" group: BFS gives 8.5% unknown and 0.1% not stated for 2025, against 12.1% and 15.3% for 2009.
100%

Better and more direct sources count for more. A source that only copies another does not count.

  • BFS PKS100%
How the trust score was worked out
Quality32 / 40

How well the sources are made

Agreement15 / 30

Unknown with one source, so set to half

Independence6 / 20

How many separate ways the number was measured

Freshness10 / 10

How recent the newest data is

How the score works

Who reports it, and since when

Which kinds of source measure this number, which years each one published, and where the reporting stops or has holes.

No source of these kinds: victim survey, independent count.

  • Single source: nothing to check it against
  • BFS PKS, 2009: BFS began the revised police crime statistics in 2009, with all cantonal police forces recording offences and accused persons (including citizenship and residence status) under uniform rules; BFS does not link it to earlier police statistics. source
  • BFS PKS, 2009: In its footnote on the group "other foreigners", which includes accused persons whose residence status is unknown or not recorded, BFS gives the proportion as 12.1% unknown and 15.3% not stated for 2009, and 8.5% and 0.1% for 2025. source
Years each source has a figure here
'09'10'15'20'25BFS PKS

figure no figure here, inside its range no later figure recorded change

Swiss citizens: people accused of Criminal Code offences per 100,000, 2025

590.78

people accused under the Criminal Code per 100,000 residents in the group "Swiss citizens", Cases closed by police in 2025

Moderate trust, 63 of 100 Only one source (BFS PKS), so it cannot be checked against another.

Each source by year: people accused under the Criminal Code per 100,000 residents in the group "Swiss citizens"
02004006008002011201520202025

Recorded change in how a source reports; hover or focus the ring for details.

Show the data as a table
YearBFS, PKS cube px-x-1903020100_102 divided by BFS STATPOP (px-x-0103010000_101)
2011625.8
2012621.65
2013607.51
2014604.42
2015588.95
2016590.4
2017592.19
2018607.07
2019623.87
2020646.79
2021631.78
2022626.9
2023614.72
2024594.73
2025590.78
What this number counts
Counts
Persons accused of all Criminal Code offences, per 100,000 residents of the same group
Where
Switzerland (police crime statistics; population register)
When
Cases closed by police in 2025; population on 31 December 2024; series 2011–2025 (the whole period combined, not one year)

The figure from BFS PKS, the only source that counts here.

Where the number comes from (1 source)
SourceFigure and yearDefinitionQualityCounts for
BFS, PKS cube px-x-1903020100_102 divided by BFS STATPOP (px-x-0103010000_101)Federal Statistical Office (BFS) · Police and justice recordsRetrieved 2026-10-27
590.782025
38,821 persons accused of all Criminal Code offences in 2025 in the group "Schweizer Beschuldigte", divided by 6,571,141 residents of the same group (Swiss citizens) on 31 December 2024 (STATPOP, permanent and non-permanent population).

Calculated by this page from the two BFS tables.

Population base: STATPOP table px-x-0103010000_101 (https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/de/px-x-0103010000_101/px-x-0103010000_101/px-x-0103010000_101.px/). BFS defines the accused-person rate as accused persons per 10,000 residents of the same group, limited to Swiss citizens and foreigners with a B or C permit (incl. Ci, diplomats, international officials) (https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/de/29165419); this page uses 100,000. BFS: a comparison with the resident population is only valid for accused residents and taking age and sex into account (PKS report 2025, p. 19).

4 of 5 checks
  • Yes: Method and definitions published. BFS defines the groups in the PKS and defines its accused-person rates (Belastungsraten) for exactly these two groups.
  • Yes: Official statistics or peer-reviewed. Both counts are official BFS statistics; the division is done by this page, as BFS does not publish this rate.
  • Yes: Full count or representative sample. Full count of accused persons and full population register count.
  • Yes: Raw data downloadable. Both the PKS cube and the STATPOP table are downloadable.
  • No: No known break or quality problem. Accused persons whose residence status police did not record are counted as "other foreigners", not here; the PKS has no age or sex standardisation.
100%

Better and more direct sources count for more. A source that only copies another does not count.

  • BFS PKS100%
How the trust score was worked out
Quality32 / 40

How well the sources are made

Agreement15 / 30

Unknown with one source, so set to half

Independence6 / 20

How many separate ways the number was measured

Freshness10 / 10

How recent the newest data is

How the score works

Who reports it, and since when

Which kinds of source measure this number, which years each one published, and where the reporting stops or has holes.

No source of these kinds: victim survey, independent count.

  • Single source: nothing to check it against
  • BFS PKS, 2009: BFS began the revised police crime statistics in 2009, with all cantonal police forces recording offences and accused persons (including citizenship and residence status) under uniform rules; BFS does not link it to earlier police statistics. source
  • BFS PKS, 2009: In its footnote on the group "other foreigners", which includes accused persons whose residence status is unknown or not recorded, BFS gives the proportion as 12.1% unknown and 15.3% not stated for 2009, and 8.5% and 0.1% for 2025. source
  • BFS PKS, 2010: STATPOP replaced ESPOP as the population count from 2010; the rate series starts in 2011, with the population at the end of 2010 as its first base. source
Years each source has a figure here
'11'15'20'25BFS PKS

figure no figure here, inside its range no later figure recorded change

Foreign permanent resident population: people accused of Criminal Code offences per 100,000, 2025

1,264.99

people accused under the Criminal Code per 100,000 residents in the group "Foreign permanent resident population", Cases closed by police in 2025

Moderate trust, 63 of 100 Only one source (BFS PKS), so it cannot be checked against another.

Each source by year: people accused under the Criminal Code per 100,000 residents in the group "Foreign permanent resident population"
05001,0001,5002011201520202025

Recorded change in how a source reports; hover or focus the ring for details.

Show the data as a table
YearBFS, PKS cube px-x-1903020100_102 divided by BFS STATPOP (px-x-0103010000_101)
20111,303.43
20121,304.67
20131,287.79
20141,260.04
20151,223.52
20161,212.65
20171,199.31
20181,231.88
20191,251.13
20201,283.08
20211,239.09
20221,277.54
20231,264.66
20241,258.25
20251,264.99
What this number counts
Counts
Persons accused of all Criminal Code offences, per 100,000 residents of the same group
Where
Switzerland (police crime statistics; population register)
When
Cases closed by police in 2025; population on 31 December 2024; series 2011–2025 (the whole period combined, not one year)

The figure from BFS PKS, the only source that counts here.

Where the number comes from (1 source)
SourceFigure and yearDefinitionQualityCounts for
BFS, PKS cube px-x-1903020100_102 divided by BFS STATPOP (px-x-0103010000_101)Federal Statistical Office (BFS) · Police and justice recordsRetrieved 2026-10-27
1,264.992025
29,725 persons accused of all Criminal Code offences in 2025 in the group "Beschuldigte aus der ständigen ausländischen Wohnbevölkerung", divided by 2,349,824 residents of the same group (foreign citizens with a B, C or Ci permit, diplomats and international officials) on 31 December 2024 (STATPOP, permanent and non-permanent population).

Calculated by this page from the two BFS tables.

Population base: STATPOP table px-x-0103010000_101 (https://www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch/pxweb/de/px-x-0103010000_101/px-x-0103010000_101/px-x-0103010000_101.px/). BFS defines the accused-person rate as accused persons per 10,000 residents of the same group, limited to Swiss citizens and foreigners with a B or C permit (incl. Ci, diplomats, international officials) (https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/de/29165419); this page uses 100,000. BFS: a comparison with the resident population is only valid for accused residents and taking age and sex into account (PKS report 2025, p. 19).

4 of 5 checks
  • Yes: Method and definitions published. BFS defines the groups in the PKS and defines its accused-person rates (Belastungsraten) for exactly these two groups.
  • Yes: Official statistics or peer-reviewed. Both counts are official BFS statistics; the division is done by this page, as BFS does not publish this rate.
  • Yes: Full count or representative sample. Full count of accused persons and full population register count.
  • Yes: Raw data downloadable. Both the PKS cube and the STATPOP table are downloadable.
  • No: No known break or quality problem. Accused persons whose residence status police did not record are counted as "other foreigners", not here; the PKS has no age or sex standardisation.
100%

Better and more direct sources count for more. A source that only copies another does not count.

  • BFS PKS100%
How the trust score was worked out
Quality32 / 40

How well the sources are made

Agreement15 / 30

Unknown with one source, so set to half

Independence6 / 20

How many separate ways the number was measured

Freshness10 / 10

How recent the newest data is

How the score works

Who reports it, and since when

Which kinds of source measure this number, which years each one published, and where the reporting stops or has holes.

No source of these kinds: victim survey, independent count.

  • Single source: nothing to check it against
  • BFS PKS, 2009: BFS began the revised police crime statistics in 2009, with all cantonal police forces recording offences and accused persons (including citizenship and residence status) under uniform rules; BFS does not link it to earlier police statistics. source
  • BFS PKS, 2009: In its footnote on the group "other foreigners", which includes accused persons whose residence status is unknown or not recorded, BFS gives the proportion as 12.1% unknown and 15.3% not stated for 2009, and 8.5% and 0.1% for 2025. source
  • BFS PKS, 2010: STATPOP replaced ESPOP as the population count from 2010; the rate series starts in 2011, with the population at the end of 2010 as its first base. source
Years each source has a figure here
'11'15'20'25BFS PKS

figure no figure here, inside its range no later figure recorded change

Share of people accused under the Criminal Code (%), by residence status (2009–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent resident population
  • Asylum population
  • Other foreigners
02040602010201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens42.13202563 Moderate
Foreign permanent resident population32.26202563 Moderate
Asylum population5.85202563 Moderate
Other foreigners19.77202563 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent resident populationAsylum populationOther foreigners
200952.1829.184.4414.21
201051.1429.674.314.89
201149.228.855.4616.49
201246.7228.247.1917.85
201346.1328.795.5719.51
201447.4129.853.9518.78
201547.6830.73.318.32
201647.3830.74.3617.56
201747.8630.934.4916.72
201848.0431.34.4916.17
201948.8431.653.8715.64
202049.9232.313.7813.99
202149.632.183.6414.59
202246.9632.064.2116.77
202344.3331.226.5817.88
202442.3431.416.6919.56
202542.1332.265.8519.77

People accused under the Criminal Code per 100,000 residents of the same group (2011–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent resident population
05001,0001,5002011201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens590.78202563 Moderate
Foreign permanent resident population1,264.99202563 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent resident population
2011625.81,303.43
2012621.651,304.67
2013607.511,287.79
2014604.421,260.04
2015588.951,223.52
2016590.41,212.65
2017592.191,199.31
2018607.071,231.88
2019623.871,251.13
2020646.791,283.08
2021631.781,239.09
2022626.91,277.54
2023614.721,264.66
2024594.731,258.25
2025590.781,264.99

Share of people accused of homicide (%), by residence status (2009–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent resident population
  • Asylum population
  • Other foreigners
02040602010201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens35.33202563 Moderate
Foreign permanent resident population27.76202563 Moderate
Asylum population12.62202563 Moderate
Other foreigners24.29202563 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent resident populationAsylum populationOther foreigners
200940.9134.37.4417.36
201046.2731.763.5318.43
201140.5530.7110.2418.5
201244.4930.89.5115.21
201341.4331.97.1419.52
201442.2932.846.4718.41
201544.928.576.6319.9
20164728.5710.1414.29
201747.4430.710.2311.63
201839.937.027.2115.87
201944.9831.443.9319.65
202036.6733.78.1521.48
202147.235.64.412.8
202239.9230.8310.2818.97
202336.8129.8611.8121.53
202445.2831.18.2715.35
202535.3327.7612.6224.29

People accused of homicide per 100,000 residents of the same group (2011–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent resident population
02462011201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens1.7202563 Moderate
Foreign permanent resident population3.74202563 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent resident population
20111.694.54
20121.914.58
20131.413.69
20141.373.52
20151.412.9
20161.623.13
20171.613.27
20181.313.77
20191.613.48
20201.544.34
20211.834.17
20221.563.59
20231.633.85
20241.763.44
20251.73.74

Share of people accused of rape (%), by residence status (2009–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent resident population
  • Asylum population
  • Other foreigners
02040602010201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens46.07202563 Moderate
Foreign permanent resident population38.63202563 Moderate
Asylum population7.45202563 Moderate
Other foreigners7.86202563 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent resident populationAsylum populationOther foreigners
200938.0345.515.1311.32
201042.9541.855.739.47
201136.1245.157.9310.79
201238.8340.357.3813.45
201341.6542.795.0310.53
201438.6642.559.299.5
201540.8642.286.6510.21
201639.838.389.911.92
201737.4541.1210.8110.62
201839.8540.998.5410.63
201942.8338.768.679.73
202042.6139.277.7910.33
202148.1840.15.236.5
202244.6940.054.910.35
202342.7140.478.158.67
202443.2439.37.1410.33
202546.0738.637.457.86

People accused of rape per 100,000 residents of the same group (2011–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent resident population
01020302011201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens8.57202563 Moderate
Foreign permanent resident population20.09202563 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent resident population
20112.6911.93
20122.9210.52
20132.9510.3
20142.8910.52
20152.769.21
20163.149.59
20173.0710.56
20183.310.58
20193.7810.6
20204.1711.77
20214.7111.84
20225.0513.51
20234.9913.8
20246.216.08
20258.5720.09

Share of adult convictions (%), by citizenship, all laws counted (1984–2024)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign citizens
020406080198419902000201020202024
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens37.11202463 Moderate
Foreign citizens62.89202463 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign citizens
198469.0630.94
198568.331.7
198667.532.5
198766.2533.75
198864.1135.89
198961.5538.45
199057.7142.29
199154.1245.88
199252.947.1
199352.7547.25
199453.2946.71
199554.7345.27
199654.245.8
199752.5447.46
199851.5348.47
199950.6649.34
200052.0947.91
200153.0146.99
200251.1648.84
200350.0949.91
200449.9250.08
200548.8351.17
200649.5650.44
200749.7850.22
200848.9851.02
200948.1151.89
201047.152.9
201144.8155.19
201242.8757.13
201341.2658.74
201442.1957.81
201542.4757.53
201642.0357.97
201741.8358.17
201841.9658.04
201942.6757.33
202043.7156.29
202143.1156.89
202242.3857.62
202339.8660.14
202437.1162.89

Share of adults convicted under the Criminal Code (%), by citizenship and permit (2007–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign citizens with a B, C or Ci permit
  • Foreign citizens without a B, C or Ci permit
020406020072010201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens37.9202563 Moderate
Foreign citizens with a B, C or Ci permit26.83202563 Moderate
Foreign citizens without a B, C or Ci permit35.36202563 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign citizens with a B, C or Ci permitForeign citizens without a B, C or Ci permit
200751.0525.6316.86
200850.5926.3117.84
200948.2227.1419.7
201047.2126.1321.9
201144.7225.3825.71
201241.3923.6731.56
201340.3423.7332.56
201441.3525.4930.09
201542.6826.1728.36
201642.4325.8429.13
201743.0726.2928.24
201844.132726.82
201944.0927.5826.45
202045.528.5324.28
202145.2528.3524.87
202243.9127.427.17
202340.9426.3732.78
202438.4126.5535.09
202537.926.8335.36

Adults convicted under the Criminal Code per 100,000 adult permanent residents of the same group (2024–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent residents
020040060020242025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens225.24202571 Moderate
Foreign permanent residents498.76202571 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent residents
2024224.09513.46
2025225.24498.76

Share of the population (%), by residence status (31 December 2010–2025)

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

  • Swiss citizens
  • Foreign permanent resident population
  • Asylum population
  • Short-term residents (L permit)
0204060802010201520202025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Swiss citizens71.62202571 Moderate
Foreign permanent resident population26202571 Moderate
Asylum population1.44202571 Moderate
Short-term residents (L permit)0.76202571 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearSwiss citizensForeign permanent resident populationAsylum populationShort-term residents (L permit)
201076.8721.640.450.97
201176.4220.51
201275.9422.350.551.06
201375.4322.780.531.18
201474.9523.230.581.15
201574.5323.510.791.08
201674.3623.730.81.02
201774.2723.850.771.01
201874.223.980.721
201974.0724.160.690.94
202073.9924.480.640.78
202173.7624.710.620.78
202272.7224.891.370.82
202372.2225.321.440.85
202471.925.711.410.79
202571.62261.440.76

About this data

Every source on this page (6)

Who is behind the sources

  • 100% Statistics office
Each publisher, its funding and its own description
  • Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) · Statistics officeFunding: Swiss federal budget; the office is part of the Federal Department of Home Affairs. source
  • BFS, Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS), cube px-x-1903020100_102Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) (statistics office) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 12 numbers; counts toward 12. Years 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
  • BFS, PKS cube px-x-1903020100_102 divided by BFS STATPOP (px-x-0103010000_101)Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) (statistics office) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 6 numbers; counts toward 6. Years 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
  • BFS, STATPOP, table px-x-0103010000_101Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) (statistics office) · Population registerUsed for 4 numbers; counts toward 4. Years 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
  • BFS, Strafurteilsstatistik (SUS), SDMX dataflow DF_SUS_PERSONSSwiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) (statistics office) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 3 numbers; counts toward 3. Years 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
  • BFS, Strafurteilsstatistik (SUS), tables T 19.03.03.02.02.06.01a and .01bSwiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) (statistics office) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 2 numbers; counts toward 2. Years 2024. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
  • BFS, Strafurteilsstatistik (SUS), SDMX dataflow DF_SUS_NATIONALITIES_ARTICLESSwiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) (statistics office) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 2 numbers; counts toward 2. Years 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
Why the numbers differ (4)
  • The police statistics count people accused when police close a case, of any age, before any court decision. The conviction statistics count adults convicted with an entry in the criminal record, by year of judgment, so a 2025 accusation may lead to a conviction in a later year. In 2025, 11,562 adults convicted under the Criminal Code were outside the permanent resident population, 675 of them Swiss citizens. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Rates exist only for groups with a population base. On the asylum population BFS writes that the group "stark schwanken kann" between nationalities and years and that length of stay varies, so it recommends excluding it from rates; "other foreigners" include no permanent residents, so BFS says their counts cannot be used for rates. BFS counts accused persons whose residence status is unknown or not recorded as "other foreigners" (8.5% unknown and 0.1% not stated in 2025; 12.1% and 15.3% in 2009, table footnotes). (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Age and sex differ between groups. On 31 December 2024, men aged 20 to 39 were 11.48% of Swiss citizens and 17.75% of foreign permanent residents. In 2025, police recorded 1,376.19 accused under the Criminal Code per 100,000 Swiss men aged 20 to 39 and 2,321.04 per 100,000 foreign resident men of that age (PKS cube divided by STATPOP; no standardisation). Men were 74.09% of accused Swiss citizens, 74.69% of accused foreign permanent residents, 86.06% of the accused asylum population and 82.25% of other accused foreigners. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Group definitions differ slightly between sources. The police statistics put everyone with an F, N or S permit in the asylum population and everyone with an L permit in "other foreigners", because they do not know length of stay; the population register counts these people as permanent residents after twelve months. The conviction statistics split foreigners into those with and without a B, C or Ci permit (2007–2025), and from 2024 also by membership of the permanent resident population. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
Common mistakes (4)
  • Comparing the share of accused "other foreigners" with a population share. The group includes cross-border commuters, tourists, people without legal residence and people whose status was not recorded, none of whom are in the population count. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Treating accused persons as offenders. The police statistics record suspicion at the end of police work, before prosecution or trial. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Comparing rape counts across 2024 without the change in law. From 1 July 2024 rape covers acts against a person's will without coercion and victims of any sex. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Reading "Swiss citizens" as "born in Switzerland". The statistics record citizenship only; naturalised people count as Swiss. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
Context (3)
Sources considered and not used (5)
  • BFS accused-person rates by residence status for all Criminal Code offences: BFS defines such rates but publishes them by citizenship only for domestic violence; the rates here are calculated from its counts and population tables. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Rates for the asylum population and "other foreigners": BFS advises against them: the asylum population fluctuates and stays vary, and "other foreigners" have no resident population base (PKS table footnotes 3 and 4). (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Police statistics before 2009: Cantons recorded under differing rules before the revised police statistics began; BFS starts its accused-person series in 2009. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Convictions by citizenship for 2025 in the XLSX series: The XLSX tables end with 2024; 2025 convicted persons come from the SDMX dataflows instead. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Juvenile convictions (JUSUS): Not broken down by residence status in the same way; the conviction numbers here cover adults only. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
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