The crime rate in the Vitebsk region decreased by 23.3% in 2012
The crime rate in the Vitebsk region decreased by 23.3% in 2012 compared to the previous year, amounting to 12.4 thousand crimes, as reported to a BELTA correspondent by the Prosecutor of the Vitebsk region, Gennady Dysko.
According to him, for the first time in recent years, a reduction in crime has occurred in all districts of the region, including Vitebsk, Orsha, Polotsk, and Novopolotsk. The number of robberies, rapes, thefts, hooligan acts, and fraud cases has significantly decreased. The number of victims of criminal offenses has decreased by 2.5 thousand.
At the same time, the situation in certain areas causes concern, noted Gennady Dysko. For instance, there was a 15.9% increase in registered cases of grievous bodily harm and an 11.9% increase in murders, the vast majority of which are committed in a domestic setting. In Beshenkovichi, Rossony, Senno, and Tolochin districts, the number of grave and particularly grave crimes has increased. In Pervomaisky (Vitebsk city), Beshenkovichi, Braslav, Glubokoe, Gorodok, Polotsk, Sharkovshchina, Postavy, Senno, and Tolochin districts, more robberies have been committed. In Oktyabrsky (Vitebsk city), Glubokoe, Liozno, Orsha, Postavy, Chashniki, Shumilino districts, and Novopolotsk, an increase in robberies is noted. The high proportion of crimes committed by individuals with a prior criminal record (46.8%) persists.
"Thus, the level and nature of modern crime require the continuation of active work by all state institutions in crime prevention and the systematic resolution of social problems that negatively affect the operational situation," stated the regional prosecutor.
Regarding cooperation with the Investigative Committee, Gennady Dysko noted that the prosecutor's offices have done significant work to establish effective interaction with its structures and form a uniform law enforcement practice. To promptly respond to emerging problems, standing working groups have been created in all districts of the region, comprising representatives of the prosecutor's offices, internal affairs bodies, and Investigative Committee units, where a wide range of issues related to the organization of investigative work and prosecutorial supervision are discussed. "However, despite the measures taken, the issues of promptness and quality of criminal case investigations, as well as the consideration of applications and reports of crimes by investigators, remain relevant," he added.
In supervising the enforcement of legislation and the legality of legal acts, paramount importance was attached last year to issues of enforcing legislation aimed at ensuring legality in the economic sphere, labor and social relations, and protecting the rights and legitimate interests of citizens. In addition, to improve the quality of state prosecution, the prosecutor's office apparatus carried out a large volume of organizational and methodological work. The measures taken have improved the quality of cassation protests and, overall, the level of state prosecution in criminal cases. Thus, illegal sentences against 44 individuals were overturned, and sentences against 279 were amended based on protests from state prosecutors and prosecutors. The overall review of sentences based on cassation protests was 94.4%, which is one of the best indicators in the republic.
The preventive work carried out by the prosecutor's offices of the Vitebsk region together with law enforcement and state bodies has contributed to strengthening legality and law and order, protecting citizens' rights, and intensifying the fight against crime and offenses, concluded the Prosecutor of the Vitebsk Region.