6. Unlawful influence in the Finnish justice sector

This chapter builds on research reports on organised crime in Finland, security in Finnish prisons and unlawful influence targeting prosecutors, judges and financial crime investigators. It incorporates findings and analyses from the Finnish Police Barometer Study and a quality report by the prison and probation service. It also draws on statistics on offences against public officials, as well as research on developments in these crimes.

6.1. Unlawful influence by organised crime

There are an estimated 90–100 identified organised criminal groups operating in Finland, with approximately 1,000 members (Jukarainen et al., 2023.). As in other countries, organised crime includes networks and groups without visible symbols, as well as professional facilitators and criminal service providers.

Organised criminals operating in Finland maintain strong links across Europe and beyond (GI-TOC, 2025). They actively seek vulnerabilities in legitimate business activities and physical and digital critical infrastructure. In addition to violence, they use more subtle forms of influence. In international comparison, organised crime is less prevalent in Finland and its resilience against it is particularly strong.

Offences against public officials

In 2024, there were 2,290 reported cases of resistance (including violent resistance) against public officials in Finland. The number has increased in recent years, except in 2020, when COVID-19 restrictions were the likely cause of a decline (see Figure 4). Of the cases in 2024, 2 044 involved resistance against police personnel, indicating that most of such incidents are directed at police officers (see also Sutela & Rikander, 2020). There have been reports about increasing threats to broader spectra of public officials, such as employees at the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet, 2025). The statistic does not indicate to what degree organised crime is involved in these offences. A review of court cases resulting in convictions of obstruction, resistance and insubordination against public officials between 2013 and 2023 revealed that references to organised crime were made in only a handful of verdicts (Villman & Kaakinen, manuscript).

Figure 4. Reported offences against public officials in Finland, 2015–2024
Source: Statistics Finland (2025)

6.2. The police

The Finnish Police Barometer surveys citizens' assessments on unethical influence related to the police, including both external influence on the organisation and corrupt practices within it. Approximately 32% of respondents in the latest survey considered it likely or very likely that attempts would be made from outside the police to disturb or influence its activities in an unethical manner. In these cases, the perpetrators may be citizens, companies or other entities. A total of 53% of respondents considered such influence unlikely and the rest of the respondents did not express an opinion. Organised crime was not specifically addressed in the survey.

A survey conducted among police financial crime investigators in 2024 included a question about perceived threats and undue influence (Kankaanranta et al., 2025). The respondents were asked if attempts have been made to influence their work from outside the police. Of the respondents, 23% had experienced attempts at influence, the most common of which were verbal threats (oral or by email etc.) and "other inappropriate influence". There were only a few cases of threats of violence and no cases of violence or bribery. The report did not reveal any links to organised crime.

Corruption within the police is relevant in this context, as police officers may have unethical connections to criminal activity (see Thomassen & Strype, 2024). In a well-known Finnish police corruption case, a senior officer in the Helsinki drug squad, Jari Aarnio, played a key role and the case had strong links to serious crime. After the case came to light in 2013, the indicator for police corruption in the Police Barometer increased to a higher level from 2014 onwards (Vuorensyrjä et al., 2025).

A register study currently underway, examining corruption crimes reported to the police, has uncovered instances of police corruption (Muttilainen & Lundqvist, manuscript). Preliminary findings indicate that over 10% of the 741 cases investigated involve references to police personnel in connection with corruption. These cases include unauthorised viewing and leaking of information, handling personal, relatives’ or colleagues’ affairs while disqualified, misuse of official insignia and equipment during leisure time, suspicious secondary employment, inappropriate cooperation with criminal suspects, manipulation of investigations, and bribery. Unlawful connections with criminals seemed to be limited.

Reporting levels for certain crimes

The proportion of unreported threats out of all threats can be considered an indicator referring to organised crime (Vuorensyrjä, 2025). According to the Police Barometer survey (Vuorensyrjä et al., 2025), crimes are most often not reported to the police because they are not considered serious. Other reasons include that the crimes are not believed to be solved, the police are not interested in them, they are reported to another authority, they are considered private matters, or there is fear of retaliation. Due to fear of retaliation, the respondents who were victims of armed threats were the most likely not to report crimes, followed by those who were victims of assault.

6.3. Prison and probation service

An evaluation of security in Finnish prisons in 2021 states that as the number of prisoners who are active in or connected to organised crime has increased, so too have the threats to and pressure on both other prisoners and prison staff (Paasonen, 2021). In addition to physical and verbal intimidation, these prisoners have reportedly attempted to influence decision-making officials through the prison appeal processes. There have also been cases in which prisoners connected to organised crime have coerced other inmates into filing appeals and complaints on their behalf. Such activities have at times reportedly been overlooked by prisons, with no negative decisions enforced, due to fear of legal repercussions imposed by prisoners. The report therefore emphasises the importance of strengthening legal support for prisons, recommending access to lawyers familiar with the challenges of daily prison work who can provide informed legal opinions to support management decisions.

According to a survey among prison staff on the state of security in prisons (Paasonen, 2021), most of the respondents did state that violent and threatening incidents in prisons are internally reported, and that serious accidents and violent events are also reported to other authorities. However, qualitative responses in the study highlighted increasing harassment, threats and violence, as well as inadequate crisis support and follow-up after threatening situations in prisons.

Among the prison personnel surveyed, 48% reported experiencing offensive behaviour from a prisoner during the past two years, and about one in three had been threatened with violence (Paasonen, 2021). Eight percent of respondents had been subjected to some form of physical violence, and 22% reported being targets of harassment. The number of recorded incidents within institutions shows a much lower prevalence: in 2021, there were 85 documented cases of threats and violence against staff inside prisons, and 31 cases outside of work. As discussed earlier, many instances remain unreported.

In a quality report from the prison and probation service (Blomster et al., 2024), 35% of personnel considered that gang members can influence the functioning of the prison too much. These numbers decreased in 2022 from the levels in 2019 (46%), so the increase is not linear here, but rather a question of fluctuation.

6.4. Courts

A Finnish study in 2008 examined the experiences of Finnish prosecutors and judges with unlawful influence. Between 10% and 30% of the Finnish prosecutors and judges surveyed reported experiencing harassment, threats, violence, vandalism or corruption within the previous 18 months. Harassment and threats were the most reported types of unlawful influence, occurring primarily in the workplace and only rarely during leisure time. Incidents of violence directed at prosecutors and judges were rare. Only a small proportion of the unlawful influence was linked to individuals associated with organised crime; approximately 4% of harassment cases and 6% of threats. A notable finding of the study was that only 38% of the incidents of unlawful influence had been reported to a manager (Junninen & Aromaa, 2010).

The survey directed to prosecutors and judges in 2008 was simultaneously carried out in Finland and Sweden. Already in that comparative study was it noted that Swedish prosecutors experienced significantly more harassment and threats by organised crime more than their Finnish colleagues (Aromaa et al., 2016). No newer information on unlawful influence directed at prosecutors or judges in Finland is available.

Threats against witnesses and victims have been surveyed in the Police Barometer (Vuorensyrjä et al., 2025). Of the 22% of respondents that had been witnesses or plaintiffs (i.e. victims) in criminal proceedings, nearly 15% experienced threats or pressure. The perpetrator was the suspect, their lawyer or someone else. About 51% of those who had experienced threats or pressure had reported their most recent experience to the police.

Threats have also been examined in a master’s thesis based on 1,314 criminal reports of threats made in court proceedings from 2004 to 2019 (Timonen, 2020). The targets of these acts are most often the plaintiffs (63%), followed by witnesses (30%) and, relatively rarely, suspects (7%). Threats before a statement may be intended to influence the behaviour of a party to the criminal proceeding, while threats after a statement are usually acts of retaliation.

Of the 1,314 cases analysed, gangs or the mafia were mentioned in 32 cases, of which 26 involved threats and six involved violence (Timonen, 2020). A total of 13, or approximately 1% of all studied cases, the threats were clearly linked to a recognised organised criminal group. However, it is possible that there are links to organised crime in cases other than those mentioned.

6.5. Summary

Although unlawful influence in Finland’s justice sector has not been comprehensively investigated, information from various sources is available, although fragmented. These sources suggest that unlawful influence is a relatively limited problem, but appears to be increasing and requires attention to ensure an impartial and trustworthy justice system at all stages. Further research is needed, particularly regarding the police and courts.