The number of open cases at German public prosecutor’s offices has reached a record high. According to data released Monday by the Federal Statistical Office, the backlog increased from 923,500 at the end of 2023 to 950,900 at the end of 2024, marking the highest level since data collection began in 2014. This increase occurred despite a slight decrease in the total number of new cases initiated.
Throughout 2024, approximately 5.49 million investigative proceedings related to criminal offenses were filed with public prosecutor’s offices, representing a decrease of 1.4 percent compared to the previous year. Around 5.46 million cases were closed, a decrease of 0.7 percent. The backlog of open cases last decreased in 2020.
The majority of investigative proceedings, approximately 83 percent, were initiated by police departments. Public prosecutor’s offices themselves, tax and customs investigative bodies, or administrative authorities initiated the remaining cases.
As in previous years, a significant portion of the 2024 investigative proceedings – roughly 60 percent – were discontinued, often due to insufficient suspicion or the minor nature of the alleged offense. Approximately 7 percent of cases resulted in charges being filed, while roughly 10 percent led to requests for a fine order, a monetary penalty or, less commonly, a suspended sentence issued by the court without a full trial. The remaining 24 percent of cases were closed through other means, such as being linked to another case or transferred to a different public prosecutor’s office.
The statistics do not detail individual crimes, but categorize cases by type. In 2024, property and asset-related offenses accounted for approximately 28 percent of closed cases. Traffic violations comprised 17 percent, while offenses against life and physical integrity represented 10 percent.
Notably, the number of proceedings closed related to violations of the Narcotics Drugs Act decreased significantly, falling by 26 percent to approximately 315,000. This decline is attributable to a temporary effect resulting from the partial legalization of cannabis possession and cultivation, which came into effect in April 2024, impacting year-on-year comparisons. Beginning in 2025, the justice ministries of the German states will begin collecting data on proceedings related to medical and recreational cannabis separately.