Fraud and scams are the most prevalent crimes in Singapore

However, low crime does not mean no crime, as the popular catch phrase in Singapore goes. 2020 saw the highest rate of crimes committed in a decade, due in large part to the increase in crimes involving fraud and scams. The prevalence of such crimes has led the Singapore Police Force to highlight scams as the crime of concern, especially given the size of the losses incurred by such swindles. In that year, e-commerce scams were the most reported type of scams. With the growing presence and popularity of e-commerce in Singapore, this type of crime would most likely increase in the coming years. Economic and financial crimes were also reported to be on the rise in businesses and organizations in Singapore.

Strict punishments as a deterrent for committing crime

Singapore is able to keep its crime rate low by enforcing strict laws and punishments on those who break the law, as well as having a sophisticated system of surveillance. From the high fines for littering to the use of capital punishment for crimes such as drug trafficking and homicide, such measures act as an effective deterrent to would-be transgressors. Despite the criticisms from various human rights organizations, Singapore still regularly sentences convicts to death for crimes such as drug trafficking and murder. The harsh penalties imposed on crimes related to drug abuse is also apparent when looking at the Singapore prison population: in 2020, more than two-thirds of the inmate population were there for drug offences.

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