Chile Releases New Data on the Criminal Justice System: From the Perspective of Young People Toward a Vision of the Criminal Justice System

What Can Data on Adolescents and Young People Serving Sentences Tell Us?

When administrative records on adolescents and young people serving sentences are organized according to common statistical criteria, they allow us to identify associated behaviors, analyze differences by sex, and monitor changes over time. This evidence can inform decisions regarding prevention, reintegration, institutional capacity, and the protection of rights. In 2025, violent or threatening property offenses accounted for the largest proportion of adolescents and young people serving sentences in the records of Sename and the National Youth Social Reintegration Service.

To understand this stage, it is also necessary to examine the proceedings that precede it. Cases filed and concluded provide insight into the matters the criminal justice system receives and resolves. Complaints reveal which incidents come to the attention of the institutions; victim records help characterize the affected individuals; and records of detained persons allow for an analysis of the populations and behaviors linked to police action.

In its second edition, aligned with the International Classification of Crimes for Statistical Purposes (ICCS), the Bulletin of Security and Criminal Justice Statistics organizes this information according to the stages of the criminal justice process in Chile and the ICCS categories. Thus, statistics produced by the Carabineros de Chile, the Investigative Police, the Judiciary, Sename, and the National Service for Juvenile Social Reintegration can be analyzed using a common statistical framework.

For police and judicial statistics, the ICCS complements the National Criminal Classification. While the national classification reflects the Chilean legal context, the ICCS groups offenses into categories that are comparable across institutions, both nationally and internationally, thereby expanding the possibilities for analysis and comparison between institutions and countries.

This framework is complemented by UNODC guidelines for producing statistics from administrative records. The guidelines offer specific recommendations for strengthening the information generated by police forces, prosecutors’ offices, and courts—from its production through its dissemination and use.

The value of this information lies not only in counting records. Its regular production makes it possible to characterize events and populations, monitor changes, identify needs, and guide more targeted institutional responses.

Institutions document their activities. Common standards and guidelines enable progress toward a comprehensive view of the criminal justice system.

Check out the Chilean bulletin and learn about UNODC’s tools for strengthening the production and use of security and criminal justice statistics:

International Classification of Crimes for Statistical Purposes

Guidelines for the Production of Statistics by Law Enforcement Agencies

Guidelines for the Production of Statistics by Prosecutors’ Offices and Courts

The UNODC-INEGI Center of Excellence supports countries in implementing these standards and guidelines to transform administrative records into evidence that can inform decision-making.