Perception of insecurity reached 87.6%: ENUSC Survey

16.5% of households were victims of some type of robbery, with or without violence, while 13% of households were victims of non-violent robberies. The survey data were presented by the Undersecretary for Crime Prevention, Eduardo Vergara, the National Director of the National Institute of Statistics, Ricardo Vicuña, and the UN researcher on crime and criminal justice, Luisa Sánchez-Iriarte.

“The Century”. Santiago. 6/8/2024. Today, the National Urban Survey on Citizen Security (Enusc) was presented, which, among other data, reported that the perception of insecurity, which measures the number of people who estimate that crime has increased in the last 12 months, reached 87.6%, three percentage points less than the previous year. Of these, 54.3% considered that crime has increased in their neighborhood and 76.4% did so in their commune.

The ENUSC was presented by the Undersecretary for Crime Prevention, Eduardo Vergara, the National Director of the National Institute of Statistics, Ricardo Vicuña, and the researcher on crime and criminal justice of the United Nations Organization (UN), Luisa Sánchez-Iriarte.

Among the data reported, it is noted that 8.1% of households were victims of violent crimes, a category that includes the variables of vehicle theft with violence, burglary with violence, robbery with violence and intimidation, surprise robbery with violence, assaults and injuries, and the crime of extortion with violence. Meanwhile, 16.5% of households were victimized by some type of robbery, with or without violence, while 13% of households were victimized by non-violent robberies.

In relation to the complaint, ENUSC showed that 47.5% of households victimized by violent crimes made a formal complaint, while in the case of robbery crimes (with and without violence) this index reached 36.2% and in the case of non-violent robberies it reached 31.4%.

Regarding emerging crimes – threats, extortion and bribery – the survey shows that 4.0% of households have been victimized. 6.3% of households were victimized by cybercrime; 8.3% have suffered bank fraud or scams; and 6.3% of households have suffered vandalism to vehicles or homes. 9.1% of households have been victimized by attempted crimes; and 5.5% of households were victimized by theft.

Regarding the data detailed by ENUSC 2023, it was reported that in the historical series of the survey (households where at least one member was the victim of a crime of greater social significance) victimization reached 21.7%, an indicator that remained stable in relation to 2022, when it reached 21.8%.

The ENUSC 2023 survey was conducted between July and December of that year and included a total of 49,813 surveyed households, which entailed an expansion of coverage, making it the second largest survey in Latin America, behind only Mexico. Detailed measurements were presented for 136 municipalities, achieving a statistical representation of 85% of the urban population at the national level.

Undersecretary Vergara highlighted that these indicators of victimization and perception at the community level will allow for the orientation of public policies that adapt to the particularities and specific needs of each community. “There were sectors in different communities that were not being consulted for many years and, consequently, those people were and remained silent. I believe that when a sample frame grows, as when a survey expands, at the end of the day, what expands is the reality of many people who for a long time, also given the place where they lived, were not part of this tool. The ENUSC becomes one of the fundamental and main tools of our country, in what has to do with perception surveys that are available,” the authority emphasized.

The national director of the INE, Ricardo Vicuña, highlighted the increase in the budget that the survey had during the current administration and that more than 400 people participated in its implementation. “This is information that will be extremely useful to analyze the phenomenon of crime and citizen insecurity at a local level, and therefore, we as INE are very satisfied because we are fulfilling our strategic objective. What is it? To increase the statistical offer to make new information available to the community that is useful, truthful and that allows for making decisions based on evidence,” he said.

UN researcher Luisa Sánchez-Iriarte emphasized the changes to the ENUSC and underlined the importance of having good statistical security systems. “The ENUSC has been a reference in the Latin American and Caribbean region, it is the pioneering survey, therefore, it is the longest-running survey with the longest track record. Through this renewal process based on the additional standards already mentioned, Chile reaffirms its commitment to the international community,” she said.