ASSESSMENT OF CRIMINALITY IN PUBLIC SPACE IN LARGEST CITIES OF LITHUANIA FOR THE PERIOD 2006-2015

• Authors: Garsviene Lina , Bersenaite Jurgita
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Criminality as a phenomenon is urgent problem for society in all countries. The issue is particularly important, because it relates to overall society and to everyone personally. For better prevention of criminality, it is necessary to understand the overall trends and differencies between territories. The article presents the experience of the largest cities of Lithiania. The analysis of statistical data on registered criminality in five largest cities of Lithuania (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai and Panevezys) is provided. The aim of research is to conduct the structural and dynamic analysis on criminality in largest cities of Lithuania. The tasks of the research are to assess the dynamics of all the criminal offences and criminal offences committed in public space during the period of 2006-2015 in the largest cities of Lithuania, to identify the greatest share of criminal offences in public space and compare it in target cities. The authors applied general scientific methods as graphical data visualization, structural analysis, dynamic analysis, relative analysis, comparison, generalization. The period of 2006-2015 was chosen for the research in order to reflect the trends of criminality in public space. The article discusses the prevalence of main indicators of criminality in the largest cities (expressed as the number per 100 000 population), emphasizes the territorial characteristics of these indicators, and gives the structural and dynamic analysis. The research results discover issues (cities and crimes), where additional attention from competent authorities would be necessary. For example, it was found that in 2015, the highest level of criminality was in Klaipeda where 3366 criminal offences per 100 000 population were registered, and the lowest level of criminality was in Panevezys - 2402 criminal offences. It was also identified that particular crimes (e.g. thefts, violation of public order, robberies and vehicle thefts) make a great share of criminal offences committed in public space. The findings of the research provides practical knowledge for both competent authorities, which work towards prevention of crime, as well as for scientists in Lithuania for searching factors that stimulates domination of certain kinds of crimes in certain territories.

Keywords

EN

criminality,; public space,; largest cities of Lithuania

• Publisher: Daugavpils University, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Journal: Sociālo Zinātņu Vēstnesis
• Year: 2016
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 28-44

Contributors

author

Garsviene Lina

author

Bersenaite Jurgita

Identifiers

ISSN

1691-1881