Last year, there were 22,000 murder victims in Europe, accounting for 5% of the global total in a region that accounts for 10% of the global population. In Europe, almost one in four people will be murdered during their lifetime. The number of murders in Europe is increasing for the second consecutive year. There were more than 23,000 deaths from violence across the continent in 2018—the highest level since 2007. The majority of murders (about 7 out of 10) are committed by people who know their victim. About 1 in 20 murders is committed by an intruder who breaks into the house or apartment where the murder took place. Murder rates vary significantly between countries. While most European states have seen an increase in homicide numbers over the past few years, some countries have been affected much harder than others. For example, France has experienced a large influx of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East, which has led to higher crime rates overall and especially homicides due to racism. Conversely, countries such as Finland and Israel have witnessed sharp drops in murder rates despite having populations with similar levels of education and income to those in France or Germany, respectively. There are several factors that can influence how many murders occur in a country. One factor is the nature of its criminal justice system.