Security is the main pillar that any country strives to provide in order to create a developed and advanced society. Accordingly, the Sultanate is keen to establish security across the country and provide necessary care and support to maintain it, no matter what the cost.
This requires the authorities to be prepared to fight any kind of crime that could lead to the violation of laws and customs. This is to preserve the country’s gains and reassure citizens and residents that everyone acts in accordance with laws stipulated by the government.
According to data published by Public Prosecution, the rate of offences dropped in 2017 in the Omani society. A total of 34,629 crimes were committed as against 38,002 in 2016, a decline of 8.9 per cent.
This may be due to the recent decline in the number of expats in the country to 1.8 million compared with 2.1 million in the previous year. According to the data, four out of 10 expats were culprits in 2017, including 12,622 males, 1,147 females and 98 minors.
Another study by the National Center for Statistics and Information last year, titled ‘Statistics on Crimes and Offenders in the Sultanate for the Year 2016’, indicates crime numbers in the Sultanate declined in 2016 by 25 per cent compared with 2015, with only three crimes committed for every 1,000 of Oman’s population.
The study indicates five out of 1,000 of the population were offenders. Almost over half of the crimes were recorded in three governorates: Muscat, North Al Batinah and Dhofar, while governorates with a low crime record were: Musandam and Al Wusta (5.1 per cent of total crimes).
In terms of age groups, crimes are equally committed by both juveniles and adults. 2017 statistics show infringement of Residency Law, which is the number one crime committed by expats, with 2,649 cases.
This is followed by illegal entry into the country (1,256), violation of the Labor Law, theft and bounced cheques. The number of bounce cheque cases by Omanis reached 3,737 in 2017, of which 3,521 were committed by males and 16 by females.
Bounced cheques is the top crime committed by citizens. The law governing these cases is very strict as this is considered a crime.
As for the other crimes, ‘general affront’ to dignity ranks second, followed by intentional harm to others (third place), drug abuse (fourth) and robbery (fifth).
It is clear from previous data that a majority of offenders are males. The highest rate of overall offenders includes those who commit crimes of violating rules and laws, while the least committed crimes related to infraction of the Weapons Law.
What Omani society hopes is more efforts to combat crime, particularly with regard to issues of unlawfully earned money and corruption in institutions and the society in general.
Such cases require enhancing the role of monitoring/ auditing systems, combating corruption, preserving public funds and educating members of Omani society on the need to combat corruption of any kind and volume.
In addition, it is necessary to disclose the measures taken in courts. Everyone knows that there is follow-up, supervision, scrutiny and investigation of any work characterised by corruption, whether by individuals or institutions.
Crime rate in the Sultanate is not as high as in a number of countries in the region, thanks to established security and understanding of the Omani society and its members, whether citizens or expatriates, of issues and laws. However, raising awareness is necessary to prevent crime of any kind or gravity.
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