The Report on Security Situation in the Territory of the Czech Republic in 1997 (Comparison with 1996)


2. Criminal Offences and the Dynamics of their Development


2.1. Territorial Differences

The sequence of regions according to the absolute number of disclosed crimes did not changed in comparison with 1996. The stagnation with certain deviations appears in majority of regional administrations of the Police of the Czech Republic except for Central Bohemia and Southern Bohemia and the territory of the capital of Prague. Prague still remains the most burdened territory in the number of detected crimes - 864 (+48 crimes) on 10.000 inhabitants as well as Central Bohemia 427 crimes (+34 crimes). The lowest criminality (in conversion on 10.000 inhabitants) has still occurred in Eastern Bohemia (245 crimes), Southern Moravia (267 crimes) and Southern Bohemia (274 crimes).

The negative trend in the development of the criminality within the territory of the capital of Prague in comparison with 1996 considerably declined, however 25,8% (+0,7%) of all disclosed crimes fall on Prague. While in 1996 (in comparison with 1995) the increase was higher than 15% (+13.430 crimes), in 1997 (in comparison with 1996) the number of detected crimes increased of 5,2% (+5.134 crimes, the third highest percentage increase within the regions of the Czech Republic). The growth of clarified crimes (+9,1%) and of clarification as such (+1,0%) is positive, in 1993 clarification reached 18,2%, in 1997 it was 27,4%. The significant increase of the number of disclosed crimes concerning car thefts and the thefts of objects from cars, burglaries and murders was registered.

In spite of the fact that the Central Bohemia remains still on the 5. place within regions of the Czech Republic with the amount of 47.162 detected crimes, the highest percentage increase of the overall criminality appeared in this region (+8,6%, +3.715 crimes) as well as the highest decline of clarification (-2,1%). This tendency affected also the conversion of detected crimes on 10.000 inhabitants, where the Central Bohemia took the second place with the number of 427 crimes (+34 crimes) before the Northern Bohemia. The Central Bohemia Region registered as the only one the increase of burglaries.

The criminality development in the territory of the capital of Prague is given, as stated in the previous reports on the security situation, by the specific situation typical for metropolitan conurbations - the high density of inhabitants, the extensive housing estates, the anonymity of citizens, the highest amount of shops and institutions, the concentration of potential criminal offenders, habitual offenders (33,2% of clarified crimes in the territory of the capital of Prague were committed by habitual offenders), foreigners etc. From the security situation point of view the development in the Central Bohemia is influenced by the ejecting of the criminality out of the territory of the capital of Prague.

The trend from 1996 in the decline of the number of disclosed crimes (-2,9%, -1.999 crimes, the highest decline in percentage and also in the absolute numbers within regions of the Czech Republic) has continued in the Northern Moravia. The Northern Moravia remains on the 2. place with the amount of 65.918 disclosed crimes and on the 4. place with the 335 crimes on 10.000 inhabitants within the regions of the Czech Republic.

The stagnation of criminality was noted in the Northern Bohemia. This phenomenon concerned the increase of the number of disclosed crimes (+2,0%) and clarification (2,8% - this is the highest increase within regions of the Czech Republic) as well as the conversion of the detected crimes on 10.000 inhabitants (418 crimes, i.e. the third place within regions of the Czech Republic). The growth of the number of murders is negative (+73,9%, +17 crimes), this amount is the highest one within regions of the Czech Republic.

(see the Security Situation within Regions of the Czech Republic in 1997 for more details).


2.2. Offences

In 1997 the officers of the Public Order Police Service discovered 1.004.703 (-7.776) offences in total according to the law of the Czech National Council No. 200/90 on offences in wording of the later regulations. The remarkable majority of offences with the highest increase was detected in the field of the safety and smoothness of the road transport (according to §22 of the above mentioned law) and there were 707.212 (+8.952) offences, which represents 70,4% of the all offences disclosed by the Public Order Police Service. There were 129.189 (-14.625) offences in the field of the public order and the civil common life (§§47-49 of the above mentioned law) detected and 126.373 (-3.971) offences against property (§50 of the above mentioned law).

The officers of the Public Order Police Service solved 751.859 (+17.770) offences in block proceedings in total during which they collected the amount of 184.552.300,- CZK (+23.267.170,- CZK).

The officers of the Public Order Police Service announced or handed over for investigation 131.871 (-27.656) offences (§58, part 3, letter a) of the above mentioned law). The total amount of 11.997 (-2.866) offences were suspended (§58, part 3, letter b) of the above mentioned law), the offenders were not disclosed in 95.882 (-4.153) cases.

The officers of the Public Order Police Service of the Southern Moravia detected the highest amount of offences (200.393) and then the officers of the capital of Prague (198.235), the lowest amount of offences was in the Southern Bohemia (56.182) and Western Bohemia (76.346).

The Traffic Police disclosed 1.010.859 offences, the drivers caused 985.928 traffic offences from this amount and the rest 24.931 traffic offences was caused by other persons involved in the road traffic. The total amount of almost 274.000.000,- CZK was imposed for these offences in the block proceedings. The offences concerning exceeding the speed limit formed 40% (454.300) from the whole number of offences disclosed by the Traffic Police.

In 1997 the Railway Police Service solved 41.568 (-4.284) offences in total, the most of which concerned breaking of the public order (§§47,48) 19.207 (-1.549) and then the road traffic (§22) 15.585 (+1.996). The number of offences solved by the block proceedings was 33.792 (+3.452) in the total amount of 4.343.000,- CZK (+597.000,- CZK).

The Police of the Czech Republic warns of an ineffective system of reclaiming the sanctions imposed for offences on the inhabitants of the Czech Republic, but mainly on foreigners.


2.3. Offenders

In 1997 the total amount of 118.395 persons (-61) was pursued and investigated for crimes in the territory of the Czech Republic. The number of men-offenders (at the age of 18 and more) pursued and investigated for crimes was 88.212, i.e. 74,5% from the whole amount of offenders, then there was 9.841 women-offenders (at the age of 18 and more), i.e. 8,3% from the whole amount of offenders.

The number of 59.777 persons (+1.803, +3,0%) were prosecuted by the courts of the Czech Republic in 1997. 7.594 persons committed the crimes under the influence of alcohol. The increase of the prosecuted persons was registered especially in the field of the property criminality (+627 persons) and violent criminality (harms of health and fights (+510 persons). The penalties with the conditional delay (62,2%) 2.

The most of the persons were sentenced by courts in Northern Moravia (15.509) and Southern Moravia (11.802) regions, the less in the Southern Moravia (4.607).

According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs there was the remarkable qualitative move from the former after punishment care provided to the sentenced crimes offenders until their release from imprisonment towards the offer of the continuous advisory and psychotherapeutic aid. The prison service ensured for imprisoned crimes offenders mainly the tercial social prevention.3

2.3.1. Criminality of Habitual Offenders

33.732 (+5) habitual offenders were prosecuted for 61.012 (+1.723) clarified crimes in the period in view. Habitual offenders participate in the structure of offenders in the same way as in 1996, i.e. 28,5%. Habitual offenders targets are visible from their shares on various types of criminality. The most of the crimes committed by habitual offenders was in the frames of the property criminality (34.714 crimes, -2,1%), the number of offences concerning the economic criminality increased (7.779 crimes, +29,5%, +1.774 crimes). The number of murders, where the culprit was the habitual offender, remarkably increased (99 crimes, +32%, +24 crimes. The high proportion of habitual offenders 45,1% (+4,9%) still has remained in the total number of clarified crimes committed on the railways.

8.308 (-2,75%) habitual offenders were prosecuted and investigated in the Northern Moravia. They committed 12.260 clarified crimes, 55% of which were property crimes (6.766 crimes). In the capital of Prague the increased number of habitual offenders (+10,83%) prosecuted and investigated mainly for simple thefts (3.190 crimes) and burglaries (1.385 crimes) was registered. The share of habitual offenders in Prague represented more than 60% of clarified flats burglaries and almost 44% of car thefts. Habitual offenders committed 16 murders from the total number of 43 murders in the Central Bohemia.

There were 10.020 (+792) persons branded as habitual offenders from the total amount of sentenced persons, they were condemned mainly for the crimes against the property (4.491 persons).

The most of habitual offenders was sentenced in Northern Moravia (3.425), Southern Moravia (1.875) and Northern Bohemia (1.802).

2.3.2. Criminality of Aliens

There were 6.981 (-2,8%), of aliens prosecuted and investigated in the period of view, i.e. 5,9% of share on the offenders structure (-0,2%, this decline under the six percents limit has occurred for the first time since 1994). However the decrease concerned only the citizens of Slovakia while the number of prosecuted aliens from other countries increased. They committed 11.200 (-3,0%) crimes in total, i.e. 6,4% from the total number of clarified crimes, 5.580 (-6,3%) of clarified crimes concerned the property criminality and 1.715 (-17,2%) economic criminality. The number of murders where the culprit was a foreigner decreased substantially (-14 crimes). The most of prosecuted foreigners came from Slovakia - 3.146 (-15%, -555).

The highest percentage increase of the number of clarified crimes committed by foreigners was registered in the Western Bohemia in the all persued basic types of criminality. The highest number of clarified crimes committed by foreigners still remains in the territory of the capital of Prague (3.438, i.e. almost 31% of the total number of crimes committed by foreigners).

From the total amount of sentenced offenders there was 3.430 foreigners. The most of them was sentenced in the territory of the capital of Prague (914 persons) and in the Northern Moravia (804 persons).

2.3.3. Criminality of the Police of the Czech Republic Officers, the Army of the Czech Republic Officers, Customs Officers and Officers and Civil Staff of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic

After the decline of the number of prosecuted policemen and disclosed crimes in 1994-95 and the high increase in 1996 there was the decrease on the lowest level within the last six years in 1997 again. In 1997 245 (-19,7%, -60) policemen were prosecuted for 287 (-23,3%, -87) crimes. From the overall point of view there were 6,4 crimes on the number of 1.000 policemen in 1997 (8,5 crimes in 1996) and 5,4 disclosed culprits (6,9 in 1996). The investigation was finished in 178 cases, 154 of which were recommended for accusation (§ 166 of Criminal Proceeding Code).

The proportion of policemen - officer cadets offenders (155 offenders) and officers offenders (90 offenders) remained unchanged (63,3:36,7, 66,6:33,4 in 1996) as well as the age structure of the prosecuted policemen. The biggest deal according to the age structure is represented by the policemen below the age of thirty, 117 of them were prosecuted (-22%, -33). The standpoint concerning the duration of service at the Police of the Czech Republic is connected with this characteristics as well. The most of the crimes was committed by the policemen with the practice shorter than 5 years (130 crimes, -31,9%, -61 crimes). The highest amount of the policemen-offenders has been still represented by officers of the Public Order Police (112, -32), the number of the policemen-offenders from the Traffic Police Service has decreased (36, -26).

There was the remarkable decline of the number of crimes concerning the abuse of the jurisdiction of the public servant (-38,6%, -54 crimes) in the structure of crimes, this number of 86 crimes fell on the level of 1995 year. The highest increase occurred in the number of crimes concerning frauds, their number amounted up to 36 (+44%, +11 crimes).

According to the number of policemen-offenders following regions are dominant: the Northern Moravia (69), the Capital of Prague (47) and the Northern Bohemia (43), where however the considerable decline (-21) appeared. In the Southern Bohemia there is a very interesting comparison between offenders in officer cadet and officer ranks (20:80, while the total proportion is 63,3:36,7).

In 1997, 7.273 (-33,9%, -3.730) submissions of which 7.132 complaints for the Police of the Czech Republic activities were recorded. The proportion of justified complaints (i.e. assessed as justified or unjustified) on the total number of investigated complaints declined from 21,7% to 20,6%. The failures of the criminal and offence proceedings (381) and the improper action and behaviour (137) have remained the most frequent causes of the justified complaints. The high justification of complaints has happened continuously in cases of personnel, wage and housing matters (40,0%) and the non-acceptance of announcement according to the Criminal Proceedings Code (24,9%).

The majority of complaints is directed, like during the past years, to policemen of the Public Order Police Service (498), their justification forms 19,9%. The highest share of justified complaints is at personnel and educational units (33,3%) and rear units (31,3%). The most frequent reasons are the negligence and the lack of discipline (43,8%) and the incorrect interpretation of legal and service rules (25,5%). The rebuke was the most repeated drawn consequence (36,4%).

The offenders - officer cadets predominated in the criminality of policemen, however justified complaints concern more the policemen-officers. From the age and duration of service points of view there is the frequency of justified complaints more balanced than at the criminality.

The most of the investigated complaints concerned the policemen from the Administration of the Capital of Prague of the Police of the Czech Republic (1.118, 313 of which were justified), from Regional Administration of Northern Bohemia (830, 201 of which were justified) and of Northern Moravia (603, 114 of which were justified).

The Military Police investigated 6.174 (-12,0%) cases of suspicion of crime commitment in total in 1997, this means the decline for the first time since 1993. 233 (-20) professional soldiers and soldiers in a further service were investigated, more than 50% of them were investigated for the suspicion of the commitment of military crimes. The officer-cadets under the 35 years of age (52%) committed the crimes most frequently in the same way as in the previous period.

The Military Police investigated 2.402 (-5,0%) crimes concerning the arbitrary separation and desertion. The most frequent motive was the low level of the legal consciousness and the solution of personal and family problems. The cases of chicanery, 263 of which were investigated, were reduced almost of 25%. Offenders were soldiers in the basic military service (more than 98%). Totally 104 (+6) persons were investigated for suspicion of commitment of crime or offence concerning the drug problems.

The Military Police investigated 18 cases concerning the thefts and losses of the ammunition and illegal armament. The thefts are committed mainly by duty-officers and guardians who were in charge of watching this material.4

On the basis of customs inspection authorities investigations the suspicion of crimes commitment connected with the customs officers service performance arose in 42 cases (-14 cases) in 1997, these cases were handed over to the law enforcement authorities. They concerned mainly the crimes of the abuse of the jurisdiction of the public servant (§ 158) and the bribery (§ 160). In the total number of 54 cases the proceedings according to the law on service employment in connection with the amendment of the customs law (No. 113/1997 Col. and in accordance with the Labour Code) were used.

In 1997 totally 318 (+14) Prison Service officers were investigated for the suspicion of crimes commitment during the duty performance as well as off duty. 24 (-12) officers are under investigation, according to regulation of § 159 part 1 of the Criminal Proceedings Code the matter was adjourned at 207 (-44) persons and committed for the disciplinary proceedings at 51 (-27) officers. The criminal proceedings were initiated with 7 civil employees of the Prison Service, the matter of 2 (-1) of them was adjourned and 2 (-1) were announced the accusation.


2.4. Victims of Criminality

The pieces of knowledge concerning victims of crimes have been so far very fragmentary and unsystematic. The police statistics seems to be the only statistics of the law enforcement authorities bearing the certain data on victims. This statistics informs factually on "objects of assaults". As far as the assaulted persons are concerned they are devided on men, women and groups of persons. The age, tactical point of view, social point of view and consequences of crime are recorded at these people.

In order to give the complete picture we show the numbers of victims from the police statistics in the following chart. Regarding the above mentioned way of the collection of information concerning victims only the minimum numbers of recorded victims of crime could be derived from this statistics.

Objects of assaults - persons in 1990-1997

Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Men 14.933 15.324 16.158 17.845 17.349 18.349 19.238 19.304
Women 9.859 9.675 13.235 15.067 15.353 16.930 18.226 15.605
Groups 1.983 2.320 2.309 2.521 3.087 3.197 3.058 3.011

This close view on victims does not solve the majority of problems, which the victims have to face. The lack of information seems to be on the extent of victims, i.e. the area of population struck by the crime, and on conditions under which the crime is committed. The realisation of the victimologic searching is one of the possibilities for citizens to get more knowledge on victims.

The knowledge gained from these searchings is one of the means for the latent criminality forecast. It provides information on real criminality trends, trends of announcement of crimes by the public and their registration by police, on the most endangered social groups, on consequences of committed crimes and on further aspects of criminality. The fact that authorities of the criminal justice have not learnt any knowledge on the existence of a lot of offences can lead to the poor preventive policy and the faulty deployment of the financial funds determined for the help of victims. The further contribution of these searchings is that they indicate mainly to the legislation authorities the necessity to transfer the centre of interest from the offender to the victim. The acceptance of the law No. 209/1997 Coll. on providing the victims with the financial aid belongs to the measures taken in order to help the victims of crimes. Recently the material concerning approach of the Czech Republic to the European Convention on the recompensation of victims of the violent crimes has been prepared for the government. The Ministry of Interior issued the amended brochure "The Information for Announcer, Victim and Witness of the Criminal Proceedings" in the beginning of 1998, which has provided the basic information for citizens encountering crimes. The help for victims of crimes represents the part of the preventive programs resulting from "The Criminality Prevention Strategy until 2000" as well.

The tendency to announce the criminality varies in different countries, however, it can be forecast that the police in general gets to know about 30-40% of committed crimes, about violent crimes (intentional health harm) and sexual assaults even less often. The advanced countries have begun with the realisation of the victims of crimes research as early as since mid-sixties (firstly on the national level). In seventies the proposal to realise these researches also on the international level was adopted. The UNICRI Institute (The UN International Criminal Research Institute) was authorised to co-ordinate the works together with the Ministry of Justice of The Netherlands. The Czech Republic joined this international research in 1992 and 1996.5

Two of three questioned persons became victims of crime in 1992-1996 as it emerged from the results of the research. The investigation confirmed that the main factors increasing the probability of risks to become the victim of crime are the young age, the level and extent of the urbanism and the higher social-economic status of the individual. The situation seems to be more serious not only in Prague but also in the middle cities with 50.000-100.000 inhabitants.

The most burdened territories in the regional scale are Prague, Northern Bohemia and Northern Moravia, Southern Bohemia is on the opposite end of the spectrum. This result corresponds with the registered criminal activity.

As far as the comparison of the Czech Republic and transforming countries is concerned, our republic slightly exceeds the average values in these countries with the exception of burglaries and assaults/threats. The comparison of the Czech Republic and industrially advanced countries results in the fact that the scale of victims is similar (and relatively large).


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