Image: AOP

The Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy published its 2016 Crime report, detailing trends in crime that show a historic low in homicides in Finland. The report uses statistics from 2015, when 70 people died violent deaths at the hands of others. That's lower than at any point since 1888.

The report uses cause of death recorded officially by the coroner, rather than police figures, because they are more comparable internationally.

There was a lower total in police figures from in 1970, at 56, but that was due to a change in criminal law that means the statistics from the two years are not comparable.

According to the report the number of homicides coming to police attention has also reduced consistently since the mid-1990s. That's consistent with the trend across industrialised western countries, which have almost all seen a reduction in violent crime over the same period.

Mobile phones helping save lives?

One of the report's authors, Martti Lehti, says that reductions in alcohol consumption, changing attitudes and an older population could all have contributed to the decline in violence.

"You can see that now in how people react to smacking of children, or violence towards women," said Lehti. "But Finland isn't any exception here, it is a broad international phenomenon."

Better communications have also helped, according to Lehti, as mobile phone usage has become almost universal.

"The flow of information about serious violence has improved," said Lehti. "This could mean that help arrives quicker and deaths from violent injuries have reduced."

Media coverage of violent crime, on the other hand, has remained at consistent levels despite the general trend, according to Lehti.