Italy: crime and justice

How many murders are there in Italy?

327 intentional homicides were recorded in Italy in 2024, 2.1% fewer than in 2023, according to Istat's report on homicide victims and perpetrators. 211 victims were men and 116 women. The homicide rate was 0.55 per 100,000 people.

The data are homicides recorded by the police and held by the Ministry of the Interior. The fall since the 1990s has come mainly from fewer killings of men, from about 4 per 100,000 men to 0.73. A perpetrator was identified in 91.1% of cases.

Official sources: Istat: homicides, victims and perpetrators 2024 (PDF)

How many women are killed in Italy?

116 women were killed in Italy in 2024, according to Istat's report on homicide victims and perpetrators. Istat estimates 106 of these were femicides, gender-based killings, and 62 women were killed by a current or former partner, in 61 cases a man.

Women made up 35.5% of homicide victims, against about 11% in the 1990s, because killings of men have fallen much more. A perpetrator was identified in every case involving a female victim. Italy's 1522 helpline offers free support to victims of violence.

Official sources: Istat: homicides, victims and perpetrators 2024 (PDF)

How long do civil court cases take in Italy?

A civil case going through all levels of court took an average of 1,789 days in Italy in 2025, against 2,512 in 2019, according to Istat's report on the efficiency of the justice system of 22 June 2026. That is a fall of 28.8%.

The measure is a target under Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which set a 40% reduction by June 2026. Courts closed 1.09 civil cases for each new one in 2025, so the backlog is shrinking; the figure was highest in the Court of Cassation at 1.30.

Official sources: Istat: efficiency of the justice system 2019–2025 (Italian, PDF)

How long do criminal trials take in Italy?

A criminal case going through all levels of court took an average of 958 days in Italy in 2025, against 1,392 in 2019, according to Istat's report on the efficiency of the justice system. The fall of 31.2% meets the 25% reduction target in Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The average adds up the expected time at each level of court. Cases that expire under the statute of limitations in the Courts of Appeal fell to about 19.4%, from 25.8% in 2019.

Official sources: Istat: efficiency of the justice system 2019–2025 (Italian, PDF)

Is Italy's court backlog shrinking?

Italy's tribunals had cut the backlog of civil cases filed between 2017 and 2022 and still pending in 2022 by 86.1% by 2025, according to Istat's report on the efficiency of the justice system. In the Courts of Appeal the reduction for cases filed between 2018 and 2022 was 86.7%.

The target in Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan is a 90% reduction by June 2026. The report is the first Istat has published on the flow of court cases.

Official sources: Istat: efficiency of the justice system 2019–2025 (Italian, PDF)

What is the murder rate in Italy?

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the intentional homicide rate in Italy was 0.6 per 100,000 in 2023. Its high point since 2005 was 2007, at 1.1 per 100,000; its low point was 2020, at 0.5 per 100,000. It is 34th highest of 35 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 1.0 per 100,000. Of 79 countries with 2023 data, 73rd highest.

What is the female homicide rate in Italy?

0.4 per 100,000: that is the homicide rate for women in Italy for 2023, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Since 2005 it has ranged from 0.4 per 100,000 (2019) to 0.6 per 100,000 (2006). It is 32nd highest of 36 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 0.7 per 100,000. Worldwide: 71st of 78.

How many men are killed in Italy?

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime puts the homicide rate for men in Italy at 0.8 per 100,000 in 2023. Since 2005 it has ranged from 0.6 per 100,000 (2020) to 1.7 per 100,000 (2007). It is 34th highest of 36 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 1.3 per 100,000. Of 78 countries with 2023 data, 71st highest.