Violence and vandalism up

A NATIONAL survey has found that 4.7 million people in France were victims of theft or attempted theft last year and 1.2 million were victims of violent attacks.

The national crime research institute ONDRP, an independent body set up by Nicolas Sarkozy when he was Interior Minister, questioned 16,500 people in partnership with the national statistics body, Insee. The theft figures were three times higher than the police ones and those for violence five times higher.

According to ONDRP, its findings complement the police figures and not directly comparable. However, compared to previous studies, they show the same overall trends: a decrease in thefts, but an increase in violence. Figures for vandalism were also the highest ever, at 3.5 million.

The survey also looked at which professionals were most exposed to violence, with police officers topping the list, followed by hospital staff, before gendarmes and then firefighters and doctors.

A fifth of people questioned said they did not feel safe.

Jonas Roux