Examinations to detect narcotics use on the rise

According to Statistics Finland's data, the police, customs and border guard used coercive measures 195,800 times in 2017. The number was 1,700 coercive measures (0.9 per cent) lower than one year previously. Good one-quarter of the coercive measures were apprehensions based on the Police Act (taking intoxicated persons into custody). Other types of coercive measures were almost always connected to investigating the guilt of a suspect or ensuring the criminal process. Examinations of state of intoxication in order to detect narcotics use increased by 16.9 per cent.

Coercive measures of the police, customs and border guard in 2008 to 2017

In 2017, the police used coercive measures 188,000 times. This is 96 per cent of all coercive measures used. Customs used coercive measures 5,900 times (three per cent) and the border guard 1,800 times (one per cent). The share of customs and the border guard are small in all main coercive measure groups. Customs and the border guard performed close on one-fifth of confiscations.

Coercive measures against freedom

In 2017, a total of 22,900 apprehensions were made, which is 800 cases (3.4 per cent) fewer than in the year before. The number of arrests was 8,800, down by 700 cases (7.6 per cent) from one year earlier. The number of remands was 2,150, which is 200 cases (7.6 per cent) fewer than in 2016 and 5.3 per cent fewer than in 2015. Altogether, 460 travel bans were enforced, which is 27.7 per cent fewer than in 2016 and 22.6 per cent fewer than in 2015.

At the beginning of 2016, a coercive measure concerning detention of foreigners entered into force. In 2017, a total of 1,500 such detentions of foreigners were recorded, which is 37.3 per cent more than one year earlier. The most common reason for the detention of a foreigner was that a foreigner would hinder the preparation and enforcement of decision-making concerning him or her by hiding or running or in some other way. This was the basis for around 1,200 cases. Another common reason for detention was that a foreigner was suspected of a crime. This reason was used around 230 times. Detention of a foreigner usually results in execution of extradition: 1,061 times in 2017. Close on 40 per cent of detentions of foreigners lasted for less than two days. Around 13 per cent of detentions lasted over a month.

The number of intoxicated persons taken into custody has fallen in recent years. The number of intoxicated persons taken into custody was 54,600 in 2017, which is 2,000 cases (3.5 per cent) lower than in 2016. Taking intoxicated persons into custody is a coercive measure based on the Police Act, where the object of the coercive measure is usually not suspected of an offence but the coercive measure is used to ensure the safety of the person or his or her environment.

A majority of coercive measures against freedom were directed at Finnish citizens. Apprehensions based on the Police Act are often taking intoxicated persons into custody, but this group also includes other temporary apprehensions to ensure that domestic or public premises are not invaded. Information on nationality is based on police records.

Coercive measures against freedom by nationality 2017

Nationality	Total	Apprehension	Arrest	Remand	Detention of a foreigner	Prohibition to travel	Apprehension based on the Police Act / Persons taken into custody while intoxic
Finland	76,219	18,246	6,976	1,554	0	394	49,049
Estonia	3,015	1,097	258	62	214	2	1,382
Iraq	1,786	602	225	60	235	7	657
Romania	1,148	335	278	99	147	3	286
Russia	1,005	347	150	51	67	12	378
Somalia	797	142	34	3	18	0	600
Sweden	533	144	85	31	4	10	259
Afghanistan	490	137	42	8	87	2	214
Gambia	297	138	33	8	94	1	23
Lithuania	268	78	74	43	11	1	61
Latvia	261	100	28	11	10	0	112
Belarus	235	100	53	9	51	0	22
Georgia	217	84	43	15	53	0	22
Poland	207	53	24	6	8	1	115
Marocco	202	74	26	10	50	1	41
Foreign country unknown	197	63	14	10	13	0	97
Without nationality	178	70	13	2	28	2	63
Bulgaria	172	51	39	8	17	0	57
Iran	163	47	37	18	8	7	46
Algeria	148	57	16	7	34	1	33
Nigeria	144	60	15	7	50	2	10
Turkey	144	60	16	4	28	1	35
Ukraine	138	53	24	2	10	1	48
Syria	116	36	15	5	7	0	53
Albania	108	35	24	19	25	0	5
Other	2,137	667	237	91	210	14	918

Reason for ending an apprehension, arrest and detention of a foreigner 2016 and 2017

Reason for ending	2016	2017
Total	34,275	33,154
Apprehension or arrest, total	33,189	31,663
-Free	27,009	25,569
-Sent	4,089	3,978
-Change of measure	539	502
-Deceased	2	1
-Deportation	18	29
-Extradition	1,040	1,168
-Turned back	26	25
-Escaped	5	5
-Transfer	461	386
Detentions of foreigners, total	1,086	1,491
-Execution of extradition	815	1,061
-Execution of a removal order	46	62
-Preconditions for detention no longer exist for other reasons	164	290
-Detention of a foreigner is still valid	61	78

Other coercive measures

At the beginning of 2014, new coercive measures came into force: search of data contained in a device and search of premises. A search of data contained in a device refers to a search directed to the data content contained in a computer, a terminal end device or in another corresponding technical device or information system. In 2017, altogether 5,900 searches of data contained in a device were performed, which is 2.4 per cent more than in 2016. A search of premises refers to a search conducted elsewhere than in a public place but not a domicile. Searches of premises numbered 6,800, most of which were carried out to find an object or property to be confiscated. Compared with the previous year, 7.6 per cent more searches of premises were performed.

The number of bodily searches and physical examinations and possible confiscations related to them increased by 4.5 per cent from the previous year. Their number was 29,500 in 2017. Physical examinations were done to, e.g. determine the DNA profile of a suspect. Confiscations and house searches possibly made in their connection numbered 37,800, which was 500 cases (1.2 per cent) lower than in the year before. The number of confiscations and house searches has decreased considerably compared to 2013 as part of them are now recorded as searches of premises or searches of data contained in a device.

The number of enforced restraining orders continued to fall. Altogether, 1,530 restraining orders were enforced in 2017, which is 3.6 per cent fewer than one year earlier and 11.3 per cent fewer than in 2015.

A total of 25,200 coercive measures were directed to women, being 12.9 per cent of all coercive measures. Women's shares were small in all types of coercive measures. Of the coercive measures directed to women, 31.8 per cent were taking intoxicated persons into custody and 14.3 per cent were physical examinations and confiscations. Close on eight per cent of coercive measures were not directed to a person but, for example, to legal persons or premises.

Examinations to detect narcotics use have increased

In all, 7,400 examinations of state of intoxication with a precision breathalyser were recorded in 2017, which was 400 cases (5.4 per cent) fewer than in 2016. The number of examinations of state of intoxication with a blood test was 12,500 in 2017, which was 800 cases (6.8 per cent) more than in 2016. Examinations of state of intoxication in order to detect narcotics use increased by 16.9 per cent and examinations to determine the blood alcohol level declined by 1.3 per cent from 2015.

Investigations of drunken driving in 2016 and 2017

Investigation/year	2016	2017
Breath alcohol	7,790	7,369
Request to examine state of intoxication	11,662	12,456
Of which
...Blood alcohol	6,576	6,493
...Narcotics	6,555	7,665
...Consumption after driving	1,461	1,365
...Theoretical statement on state of intoxication	199	192

Reason for apprehension leading to examination of state of intoxication and vehicle 2017

	Total	Other reason	Stop check	Informing	Abnormal driving style	Traffic accident	Other traffic infraction	Other offence	Speeding
Total	19,825	5,206	4,292	4,025	1,985	1,812	1,034	895	576
Passenger car	16,845	4,542	3,570	3,424	1,694	1,533	868	699	515
Van	1,106	253	342	232	78	83	53	42	23
Moped	659	149	83	138	125	68	58	33	5
Water transport	316	85	137	46	21	11	4	4	8
Motorcycle	273	49	44	38	26	58	18	20	20
Lorry, truck	257	54	79	66	21	14	11	8	4
Other vehicle	117	23	12	30	12	22	8	9	1
Tractor, earth-mover, grader	87	15	10	35	4	11	6	6	0
Not drunken driving	82	14	1	3	0	0	0	64	0
Snowmobile	49	13	6	6	4	9	8	3	0
Bus	10	4	1	4	0	1	0	0	0
Special vehicle	10	2	5	3	0	0	0	0	0
Pedestrian	8	2	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
Bicycle	5	1	1	0	0	2	0	1	0

The statistics on Offences known to the police and on Coercive measures were combined in March 2015. Data released prior to that can be found on the old home pages of the statistics. The web pages of the statistics on Offences known to the police: http://www.tilastokeskus.fi/til/polrik/index_en.html and of the statistics on Coercive measures: http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/pkei/index_en.html

Source: Statistics on offences and coercive measures 2017. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Kimmo Haapakangas 029 551 3252, rikos@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Updated 28.2.2018

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Statistics on offences and coercive measures [e-publication].
ISSN=2342-9178. Coercive measures 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 28.12.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/rpk/2017/14/rpk_2017_14_2018-02-28_tie_001_en.html