Özlem Muraz BUDAK

This study examines the crime statistics recorded in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire during the Second Constitutional Era from a historical and sociological perspective. The data obtained from the Kosovo Ceraim Register in the archives of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, Directorate of State Archives, Rumelia Inspectorate, provide a comprehensive analysis of the distribution of crime types in the region, the relationship between crime rates and ethnic-religious groups, and the impact of Ottoman law enforcement policies. Crimes such as murder, assault, robbery, banditry, and offenses against public order are analyzed in terms of their social and political effects on the region. The findings indicate that ethnic tensions significantly contributed to the rise in crime rates. The violent actions of Serbian and Bulgarian gangs against Ottoman rule exacerbated security issues in the region. Additionally, the local tribal structures and traditional blood feud culture were identified as key factors that increased crime rates. The crime statistics recorded in the Kosovo Ceraim Register serve as a crucial data source for analyzing the societal implications of these transformations. In this context, the study highlights both the effectiveness of the Ottoman Empire's security policies in the region and the ways in which the social dynamics and ethnic tensions in Kosovo were reflected in criminal incidents. The results indicate that the Ottoman centralization efforts were unsuccessful and that the increasing crime rates made the province increasingly difficult to govern. This study aims to contribute significantly to the historical and social analysis of crime records in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire.

Keywords: Kosovo, Ceraim, Crime, Second Constitutional Era, Public Order, Balkans