Crime rates increased in Spain due to worsening economic crisis

Official figures have revealed that the worsening economic crisis in cash-stripped Spain has led to a worrying hike in the crime rates during the first six months of the current year.

According to a report released by the Spanish Interior Ministry on Tuesday, over 1,100,000 offences have been reported to the authorities of the country, home to almost 47 millions, in the first six months of 2012.

The ministry noted that violent crimes have witnessed a 9.5-percent increase while the number of committed murders showed a 2.3-percent spike. The drug-related crimes also saw a 2.2-percent increase during the same period.

The data further suggested that the number of burglaries committed during the six-month period stood at 62,359, up from 49,993 cases in the same period last year, indicating a 7.24-percent spike.

Analysts believe the deepening of financial crisis in the recession-bound European state, which has long been grappling with economic woes, prompts people to make a living from committing crimes.

Spain is now in a catastrophic financial situation similar to that of Greece, Ireland and Portugal, which have been forced to seek international bailouts shortly after their bond-yields exceeded the seven percent threshold.

The eurozone’s fourth largest economy has announced spending cuts of more than 11-billion dollars as well as tax increases to reduce the country’s deficit and to avoid a financial bailout like that of Greece, Ireland, and Portugal.

Battered by the global financial downturn, the Spanish economy collapsed into recession in the second half of 2008, destroying millions of jobs.