India's Crime Rate falls 6%, Cybercrime crosses 1 Lakh cases: SBI
New Delhi, June 8
India is witnessing an uneven trend in criminal activity, with overall crime declining due to increased public investment, digitization, and enhanced surveillance, meanwhile cyber-crime has risen, potentially crossing 1 lakh cases, according to a report by public sector lender State Bank of India.
It noted, "India recorded 58.86 lakh cognizable crimes in 2024, down by 6.0% from the previous year, with the all-India crime rate falling from 448.3 to 418.9 per lakh population." Unbelievably, crime against women -- which has been a major crime highlight in India -- has dropped by 1.5 per cent from 4.48 lakh cases in 2023 to 4.41 lakh cases in 2024, the report said.
Digitization increases the chances of detection through tools such as UPI, FASTag and digital surveillance, raising the expected cost of committing crime. Areas with more CCTV cameras saw a slight drop in crime between 2022 and 2024, with a correlation of -0.148.
Additionally, under initiatives like Smart Cities Mission, all 100 Smart Cities have operational Integrated Command and Control Centres to integrate data, technology, surveillance and real-time monitoring for improved urban management.
"More than 84,000 CCTV surveillance cameras had been installed across the 100 Smart Cities, along with 1,884 emergency call boxes, 3,000 public address systems. These measures increase the perceived probability of detection," the report said.
Furthermore, areas with more CCTV cameras saw a slight drop in crime between 2022 and 2024, "with a correlation of -0.148."
As per the report, there is an interesting relationship between crime and economic growth. "Empirical literature suggests that crime can act as a drag on economic growth by raising uncertainty, increasing security and transaction costs, discouraging investment, and crowding out legal economic activity (Goulas and Zervoyianni , 2013)," it said.
It noted that a 1 per cent decline in the IPC/BNS crime rate per lakh population is associated with about 0.11 per cent higher real GDP growth in the short run. Hence. as crime declines, society gains a growth dividend.
Noting that crime against women acts as a labour market friction and could lead to lower participation by females. "The broader implication is that women's safety is not only a law-and-order issue; it is also a labour market policy variable," it said.
While crime against women has dropped, the decline remains a drop in the ocean given the scale of the challenge. NCRB 2024 recorded 1,20,227 cases and 1,21,166 victims under cruelty by husband or relatives. Based on NFHS-5 data, with an estimated 27.88 crore ever-married women in the relevant age group, and 24 per cent reporting physical and/or sexual spousal violence in the past 12 months, the estimated annual burden rises to about 6.69 crore women, as per the SBI report.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The decline in crime against women is welcome, but the report itself says it's a "drop in the ocean" — 6.69 crore women suffering spousal violence is a staggering number. We need better enforcement of laws, but also societal change. Educating boys from a young age about respect and consent is just as important.
Interesting correlation between CCTV and crime reduction, but -0.148 is quite weak. I think the real driver is economic growth — as more people have stable jobs, the incentive to commit crime decreases. But cybercrime is a new frontier; we need specialized cyber police stations in every district, not just smart cities. 🖥️
The link between women's safety and labour market participation is spot on. I have friends who quit jobs because of safety concerns during commutes or late hours. If we want more women in the workforce, we need safer cities — better street lighting, more patrolling, and faster police response. The numbers are improving, but change is too slow.
Interesting data from SBI — the economic analysis showing that a 1% crime decline boosts GDP by 0.11% is a neat insight. But I wonder how much of the drop is due to better reporting systems vs actual reduction. Also, cybercrime is notoriously under-reported; 1 lakh cases might just be the tip of the iceberg. 🧊
Digital surveillance is a double-edged sword. While CCTVs help catch criminals, they also raise privacy concerns. The Smart Cities Mission's 84,000 cameras
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.