Analysis of crime trends in the island of Gozo

Abstract

This dissertation aims to shed a light on the crime trends in the tiny island of Gozo. For this purpose a longitudinal analysis of reported offences was carried out. The data collected was analysed in terms of the crime categories, different periods of the year, by locality and also against the national situation. This study identified an increase in crime between the end of the 1990s and the first years of the 2000s. This trend changed from 2005 onwards with a constant decrease in crime rates. Crime was also found to be seasonal, increasing in the summer months and keeping constant rates in winter. Crime counts and rates differed strongly between localities, with seaside villages displaying the highest rates. Finally, Gozo was found to be relatively safer compared to Malta though in some crime categories it surpasses the rates recorded in the mother island.