Crime in Iceland

Iceland uses afbrot for crime. Ríkislögreglustjóri, the National Police Commissioner, coordinates policing, public security, crime prevention and statistics, while nine police districts handle local policing. Any victim, witness or informed person may report a suspected offence, and the report can be made anywhere in Iceland rather than only in the district where it happened. Prompt reporting can preserve evidence. For immediate danger, an ongoing offence or urgent police or medical help, contact 112/Neyðarlínan by phone, SMS, webchat or the 112 Iceland app. Non-urgent reports can go to a local police station, by phone, email or a selected online form; an anonymous police tip can be given through 800 5005. A case may move from initial review to investigation and a prosecution decision, with timing varying by the circumstances and evidence. No direct user fee is identified for reporting. Sexual-assault case tracking is currently available only through the Capital Area and Suðurnes systems. Domestic and sexual violence can involve police investigation, removal of the suspected perpetrator, arrest, a restraining or contact prohibition, exclusion from the home, a flagged phone or emergency button, an interpreter, medical examination and forensic samples. Serious cases may continue even when the victim does not make a charge or later withdraws. Domestic Violence Teams in health institutions provide free support nationwide to all genders and residents regardless of income, with social workers, trauma support, legal-rights assistance and access to police. Regional centres include Bjarkarhlíð in Reykjavík, Bjarmahlíð in Akureyri, Sigurhæðir in Selfoss and Suðurhlíð in Suðurnes. The Women’s Shelter, Red Cross 1717, Stígamót and Aflið provide further support. State compensation may be available for a qualifying violent offence committed in Iceland. The victim generally needs to report without undue delay and submit the claim within two years; a conviction is not required in every case, and an unknown, deceased or non-liable offender does not automatically exclude a claim. Eligible losses can include medical costs, lost income, pain, non-economic damage, damaged clothing or personal items and legal representation, while property-only loss and unjust enrichment are excluded. Children are people under 18. Abuse, neglect, serious bullying and risk behaviour must be reported to Child Protection Services; reports can be made through 112, webchat or a local municipal service, and a child may report personally. Children under 15 are dealt with through child protection rather than criminal punishment, while criminal responsibility begins at 15. Online fraud, attempted fraud, account or card compromise, romance scams, investment scams, shop or rental fraud, extortion and digital harassment can be reported to police. Organisations and individuals can report cybersecurity incidents or risks to CERT-IS, while personal-data breaches belong with the Data Protection Authority. Multi-factor authentication, unique strong passwords or passkeys, software updates and independent verification of payment requests reduce digital risk. Do not share passwords, card details or security codes, and approve an electronic ID only for a login you started. At a burglary scene, leave if a suspect may be present, do not touch, move or clean items, and call 112; after public violence, leave the danger area and call 112. Police matters recorded in 2024 numbered about 148,000, but that total included illness, accidents and assistance and does not measure crime prevalence. The Capital Area recorded about 9,400 Criminal Code offences in 2024; serious violence was about 300 cases, 19% above the average for 2021–2023, while total violence was 3% below that three-year average. In 2025, police notifications included 629 sexual offences, 194 rape offences, 133 child sexual offences and 51 child-abuse offences. Notification figures do not equal actual incidence: a 2025 victim survey found sexual-offence victimisation of 2.1%, with fewer than 10% reported, while about 42% of violent offences and about 29% of partner-violence incidents were reported. Crime is officially infrequent overall, but practical prevention focuses on domestic and sexual violence, serious violence, youth violence and digital abuse, cyber and financial fraud, and property crime, with the strongest regional concentration around the Capital Area. An ordinary purchase or service dispute belongs to consumer protection, whereas deception with criminal indicators should be reported to police.