Prosecutor's Office: Vitebsk region should strengthen work on crime prevention

In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the state protects human life from any unlawful encroachments. Therefore, the problems of ensuring the safety of the population, preventing conflict situations that lead to the commission of grave and especially grave crimes against life and health of people should be at the center of attention of all regional departments, district executive committees, local councils of deputies, law enforcement agencies, and other prevention entities.

This was the subject of a principled discussion on March 31, 2016, at a joint meeting of the presidium of the regional council of deputies and the coordination meeting on combating crime and corruption in the Vitebsk region.

The speeches by the regional prosecutor Dyko G.I., the first deputy regional prosecutor Sidorovich A.V., and other officials noted that executive and representative authorities, law enforcement agencies, and the deputy corps are taking organizational and practical measures aimed at maintaining public order, combating drunkenness and alcoholism, and improving the situation in dysfunctional families.

However, a number of shortcomings and unresolved issues remain in the organization of preventive work, which negatively affect the state of law and order and the prevention of especially grave crimes against individuals.

Last year, 60 murders with attempted murders were committed in the region, which is 17.6% (+9) more than in the previous year. The increase in these crimes occurred in the cities of Vitebsk and Novopolotsk, and in the Braslavsky, Gluboksky, Miorsky, Chashniksky, Lepelsky, and Postavsky districts. In addition, 15 cases of grievous bodily harm resulting in the death of victims were registered. The largest number of these crimes were registered in the city of Vitebsk, and in the Orshansky and Polotsky districts.

In the Braslavsky, Chashniksky, and Oktyabrsky districts, the number of robberies increased.

This year, 14 murders and grievous bodily harm resulting in death have again been committed in the region.

Analysis of criminal case materials indicates that the causes of these crimes are the antisocial behavior of certain citizens, unemployment and drunkenness, and unsettled family and domestic life. In particular, at the time of committing intentional murders, 72% of the perpetrators were in a state of alcohol intoxication, and 59% were unemployed and not studying.

At the same time, clear interaction between law enforcement and local authorities, healthcare and educational institutions, and other interested departments has not been established in all regions of the oblast for the timely identification of at-risk individuals and for conducting effective preventive work with them. Often, such activities are carried out formally, and therefore do not have the proper positive impact on individuals prone to unlawful behavior, including those previously held criminally liable.

Last year, 11 murders were registered in the oblast, committed on the grounds of domestic conflicts between spouses or cohabitants. The results of inspections indicate insufficient measures taken by internal affairs bodies and other prevention entities to prevent offenses in this area and to minimize family distress (Chashniksky, Orshansky, Polotsky, Miorsky districts, the city of Novopolotsk, Zheleznodorozhny and Oktyabrsky districts of the city of Vitebsk).

Preventive work to ensure safe living conditions for the elderly and disabled, and to prevent criminal encroachments on their life and health, needs improvement, especially in the Braslav district.

Internal affairs bodies do not always take effective measures for the timely seizure of unregistered weapons from the population, which subsequently leads to their use in intentional murders (Miory and Tolochin districts).

Local authorities have not established proper control over the work of public order protection councils everywhere.

Thus, serious miscalculations were revealed in the activities of the public order protection councils of Miory, Shumilino, Orsha, Liozno, Tolochin, Braslav and other districts in organizing work and conducting preventive measures to influence citizens. Some councils have not become coordinators of the work of territorial self-government bodies, volunteer detachments and other subjects of crime prevention.

Insufficient attention is paid to the activities of volunteer detachments at the local level, especially in Ushachi, Polotsk and Sharkovshchina districts.

The work of supervisory commissions for the prevention of recidivism does not meet the requirements (Braslav, Orsha, Pervomaisky districts).

There are

deficiencies in the activities of juvenile commissions, educational institutions, internal affairs bodies in preventing offenses among youth, which contributes to teenagers committing murders and other crimes (Tolo-chin, Orsha, Pervomaisky districts).

In general, the developing situation in this area requires more effective use by all prevention entities of legal, social, economic, and informational measures aimed at neutralizing the causes and conditions that contribute to the commission of crimes, and active participation of deputies, public associations, and labor collectives in preventing offenses.

Based on the results of the discussion, an appropriate decision was made.

The work of the joint meeting of the presidium of the regional Council of Deputies and the coordination meeting was attended and addressed by the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus – Chief Inspector for the Vitebsk Region, Pozdnyak A.G.

Head of the Organizational andControl Department of theVitebsk Region Prosecutor's Office, Igor Bogachev