The Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office summed up the results of the implementation by prevention entities of the regional and local comprehensive plans for the prevention of offenses in the Vitebsk region for 2020.

A coordination meeting on combating crime and corruption in the region was held under the chairmanship of the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor in a documentary discussion format.

The agenda included: the results of the analysis conducted by the regional prosecutor's office on the effectiveness of the implementation of the regional and local comprehensive plans for the prevention of offenses in the Vitebsk region for 2020 by the subjects of prevention.

It should be noted that a practice has been established in the Vitebsk region whereby the results of the implementation of regional and local comprehensive plans (programs) for prevention for the relevant year are considered at the meetings of the coordination councils on combating crime and corruption in the Vitebsk region and at the meetings of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. This format of work gives greater significance to the implementation of plans, as each time an assessment is made of the effectiveness of planning and implementation of preventive measures, and their degree of influence on the state of the crime situation.

Overall, the results of the plan implementation were recognized as satisfactory, as the preventive measures carried out in 2020 contributed to improving the level of law and order in the region, enhancing the activities of the subjects of offense prevention, and forming the legal culture of citizens.

The crime rate per 10,000 population in the region is one of the lowest in the republic – 79.4, compared to the national average of 88 crimes. The number of murders committed decreased from 41 to 31, and the number of registered grave and particularly grave crimes decreased by 31.4%. Throughout the year, there has been a downward trend in thefts (-11.2%), hooliganism (-13.9%), robberies and burglaries (-73.9% and -31.3% respectively).

At the same time, a number of factors continue to negatively impact the crime situation in the region – the information sphere (one-third of registered fraud cases are also related to the use of internet resources).

However, the prevention of crime in the real environment should not be overlooked,

since the weakening of preventive activities due to the complicated epidemiological situation since the beginning of the year and the political situation since August of the current year, both in the Vitebsk region and in the republic as a whole, has had a negative impact on the structure and dynamics of crime.

The increase in the number of citizens who died from external causes is of particular concern. For example, 92 (73) people died in fires in the reporting period of 2020 (+26%), 65 (57) citizens drowned, including 2 (5) minors. The number of suicides remained at the same level – 191 (191), however, it is noteworthy that 123 people who committed suicide were of working age.

Drunkenness continues to be the main cause of crime. The problem of excessive alcohol consumption is also evidenced by the fact of an increasing volume of alcohol sold in 9 months of 2020 – 749.2 (721.1) thousand decaliters, or 6.61 (6.16) liters per capita. At the same time, almost all indicators of work aimed at overcoming alcoholization of the population have been reduced in the region.

It is noted that executive authorities often take a passive role in the implementation of relevant crime prevention programs. Particular criticism was caused by the formal approach of a number of executive committees in duplicating the regional comprehensive plan for 2020, without taking into account the specifics of the region (Polotsk, Sharkovshchinsky, Miory districts). An analysis of the implementation of the plan's measures within the relevant chapters and sections revealed problematic issues in their execution and control.

Based on the results of the discussion, a decision was made aimed at increasing the effectiveness of preventive work in countering negative factors in the criminal situation.

The draft regional comprehensive plan for crime prevention for 2021 has been approved, which defines promising directions for the future period and provides for the implementation of a number of preventive measures aimed at prevention, taking into account the developing socio-political situation.

committing offenses and crimes related to the violation of public order, as well as committing high-tech crimes.

 

Senior Assistant Prosecutor

of the region for supervision of the enforcement

of legislation on the prevention

of crimes and other offenses

Natalia Kolpakova