UNICRI report finds homicides falling across much of the world while organised crime grows more profitable and networked

30 September 2026

The UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) launched "Crime and Justice in a Changing World" on 30 September 2026 at the 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi.
Homicides fell from 5.9 per 100,000 people in 2015 to 5.2 in 2023 and are projected to decline 25 per cent between 2015 and 2030 on current trends.
Latin America and the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa together account for roughly two thirds of all homicide victims.
Criminal profit is shifting to transnational markets, with networks diversifying into trafficking, migrant smuggling and natural resources; in Cambodia illicit proceeds from cybercrime and illegal gambling are estimated at $12.5 billion to $19 billion a year.
A 2025 survey of 42 countries found 57 per cent of adults had experienced a scam and 23 per cent had lost money in 12 months.