LEGAL ENTITIES PERPETRATORS OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES, BY TYPE OF DECISION, 2020

In 2020, public prosecutor’s offices in the Republic of Croatia decided upon crime reports for 707 legal entities – perpetrators of criminal offences, which was 8.0% less than in 2019. The number of accused legal entities increased by 11.7% and the number of legal entities recognised as responsible by 58.1%, as compared to the previous year.

In 2020, there were 86 accused legal entities, while the share of legal entities recognised as responsible was 57.0% (49 legal entities).

In 2020, criminal offences against economy were the most frequent ones. The share of reported legal entities for criminal offences against economy was 48.4%, of accused legal entities 58.1% and of legal entities recognised as responsible 67.3%.

Fines were imposed as criminal penalties for all legal entities recognised as responsible. Regarding the amount of pronounced fines, the most frequent ones were those ranging between 10 001 and 20 000 kuna (21 legal entities) and between 20 001 and 50 000 kuna (20 legal entities).

There were five legal entities for which a court decided to confiscate a pecuniary benefit acquired by the criminal offence.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Source and methods of data collection

On the basis of the Official Statistics Act (NN, No. 25/20), data on reported and accused legal entities as well as those recognised as responsible are collected by regular statistical surveys, in which the following statistical reports are used: the Statistical Report for Legal Entities against Which Proceedings Based on Crime Report and Interlocutory Proceedings Have Been Concluded (SP-1 form) and the Statistical Report for Accused Legal Entities against Which Criminal Proceedings Have Been Validly Concluded (SP-2 form).

Statistical reports are filled in by competent public prosecutors’ offices after the final decision has taken place as well as county and municipal courts of the first instance that act after the criminal procedure has been validly concluded. Observation units are legal entities – perpetrators of criminal offences.

The Act on the Responsibility of Legal Entities for Criminal Offences (NN, Nos 151/03, 110/07, 45/11 and 143/12) was put into effect on 24 March 2004 and it has been applied in statistical surveys since 1 January 2005.

On 1 January 2013, the new Penal Code (NN, Nos 125/11, 144/12, 56/15, 61/15 – correction, 101/17, 118/18 and 126/19) entered into force. This Code, besides implementing new and modifying existing general institutes of material criminal law, prescribes a new catalogue of criminal offences.

Coverage

Statistical surveys cover all legal entities – perpetrators of criminal offences, whether reported, accused or recognised as responsible.

Definitions

Reported legal entity is every legal entity against which proceedings based on crime report and interlocutory proceedings have been concluded with a decision by which: the crime report has been rejected, the investigation has been interrupted, investigation has been terminated, or an indictment has been submitted.

Accused legal entity is every legal entity against which criminal proceedings have been concluded with a valid court decision, by which the indictment has been dropped, proceedings have been terminated, a legal entity has been acquitted, an accusation has been rejected or a legal entity has been recognised as responsible.

Legal entity recognised as responsible is every legal entity against which criminal proceedings have been concluded with a valid court decision by which a legal entity has been recognised as responsible.

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80.
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Persons responsible:
Dubravka Rogić Hadžalić, Director of Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Gordana Finzir, Vesna Đikanović i Mario Vlajčević

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