Barcelona city prosecutors handle 100,000 cases in 2023, up 12%

The Barcelona Public Prosecutor's Office investigated nearly 100,000 cases in 2023, 12.6% more than the 85,000 in 2022.

The office say the increased number of cases they are handling is due to a general rise in crime.

In its report on last year, prosecutors explain that more than 66,000 preliminary proceedings were provisionally filed and more than 7,300 were definitively filed, and only 12,709 were sent to trial.

Among the cases were increases in homicides and murders, sexual crimes, and thefts and robberies.

Intentional homicide and murder investigations increased from 35 to 44, while reckless homicides dropped from 51 to 46.

As for injury crimes, 47,771 cases were investigated, 1% more than a year earlier.

In domestic violence there were 1,064 preliminary proceedings, 856 of which were urgent, with 78 restraining orders and 161 protection orders handed out.

Sexual offenses increased by 12%, from 1,829 to 2,037. 

Thefts rose from 2,895 to 5,075, up 75%, while robberies with violence or intimidation fell 46%, going from 7,543 to 3,988.

Scams rose from 2,688 to 3,543, an increase of 32%, and burglaries grew by 18%, with a total of 3,258 cases.

Traffic offenses rose by 43%, from 2,360 to 3,371, the majority for driving without a license.