Data from the Directorate-General for Justice Policy (Direção-Geral da Política da Justiça or DGPJ) shows that the number of elderly crime victims rose by 30.5% between 2020 and 2025. This increase outpaces the growth rate of the general population, with property crimes remaining the most common offense reported to the Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP), the National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana or GNR), and the Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária or PJ).
Crimes against elderly population rise by 30 percent
Friday, 10 July 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
The PJ (Polícia Judiciária) is Portugal's national criminal investigation police agency, founded in 1945. Operating under the Ministry of Justice and supervised by the Public Ministry (prosecutors), the PJ is a "higher criminal police body" specializing in serious and complex crimes. Mission: The PJ assists judicial and prosecuting authorities by investigating terrorism, organized crime, homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking, corruption, cybercrime, financial crime, and money laundering. It conducts forensic examinations, operates Portugal's Interpol and Europol liaison offices, and maintains specialized units including the National Counterterrorism Unit and National Anti-Corruption Unit. Difference from PSP/GNR: While PSP (civilian urban police) and GNR (military rural police) focus on preventive policing, public order, and investigating minor crimes, the PJ exclusively handles serious crime investigation requiring specialized technical and scientific expertise. PSP and GNR report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs; PJ reports to the Ministry of Justice. PJ officers receive higher pay and prestige but face greater operational risk.
The Directorate-General for Justice Policy (Direção-Geral da Política de Justiça or DGPJ) is a government agency under the Ministry of Justice responsible for collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data on the Portuguese justice system. It serves as the primary source for official information regarding crime trends, court operations, and legal demographics in Portugal.
