Short unconditional custodial sentences fall by half
Neuchâtel, 20.05.2025 — In 2024, the total number of convictions remained stable compared with the previous year, with 111 148 convictions recorded in the register of criminal convictions. However, the trends differed depending on the applicable law. There was a decrease in the number of convictions under the Swiss Criminal Code (−6%) and the Narcotics Act (−10%), whereas convictions under the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration increased by 17 per cent. Fines remain the most common form of sanction and their application increased further in 2024, while the number of short unconditional custodial sentences fell by 48 per cent. These are some of the findings of the Criminal Conviction Statistics produced by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).