1. Criminality
Overall criminality | 65 918 | (-2,9%) |
Criminality on 10 thousands inhabitants | 335 | |
Clarified crimes | 29 091 | (-2,6%) |
Clarification in % | 44,1% | (+0,1%) |
The Volume of Criminality in Districts
the highest number of crimes | Ostrava Karviná |
18 828 (the third highest in the CR) 9 924 |
the highest number of crimes /10 thousands inhabitants | Ostrava Olomouc | 582 382 |
the lowest number of crimes | Jeseník Šumperk | 1 146 (the third lowest in the CR) 2 226 |
the highest increase of crimes | Opava Ostrava | +4,4% +2,6% |
the greatest decrease of crimes | Šumperk Přerov | -20,7% (the highest in the CR) -17,8% |
Clarification of the criminality in Districts
the highest clarification | Bruntál Jeseník |
54,0% 51,8% |
the lowest clarification | Olomouc Ostrava | 39,7% 40,7% |
the highest increase of clarification | Olomouc Přerov | +3,0% +2,3% |
the greatest decrease of clarification | Karviná Opava |
-1,7% -1,4% |
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The 4 642 development of the criminality in the Northern Moravia since 1994 can be assessed as the stabilised one and the year 1997 with the decline of 2,9% confirms this characteristics. The region is on the second place in the Czech Republic for a long time (following the capital of Prague) in the overall criminality with the number of 65.918 crimes, regarding the conversion on 10 thousands inhabitants (335 crimes) it is on the fourth place. The number of clarified crimes is permanently the highest within the Czech Republic - 29.091 (i.e. -17,2%), the clarification is 44,1% (-0,2%). Concerning the violent and moral criminality this region takes the first place for a long time and it is the second in burglaries and simple thefts.
In 1997 the certain differentiation in the criminality development in districts occurred. The decline of recorded crimes increased in some districts (Šumperk of -20,7%, Poerov of -17,8%, Jeseník of -15,6%), on the contrary the growth of the criminality was noticed in another districts, mainly in Ostrava of 481 crimes (+2,6%). After the conversion of crimes on 10 thousands inhabitants the most burdened districts are Ostrava (582 crimes), Olomouc (382 crimes) and Karviná (348 crimes).
On the basis the orientation elaborated by the Prevention Department of the Ministry of Interior the interest of further cities in the region concerning the problems of the prevention was initiated. 16 cities are included in the complex co-ordination programme of the criminality prevention on the local level: Český Těšín, Bohumín, Frýdek-Místek, Havířov, Hranice na Moravě, Jeseník, Karviná, Kopřivnice, Krnov, Nový Jičín, Orlová, Ostrava, Olomouc, Přerov, Šumperk and Vsetín.
The negative trend of the increase of disclosed damages (+483.586.000 CZK, i.e. +19,9%) continued in the region. Damages from the economic criminality reached 1.692.191.000,- CZK, i.e. 58% of the overall damages. Disclosed damages decreased of 15,7% on the value of 30.145.000,- CZK.
Offences
In 1997 the Public Order Police recorded 136.744 offences (+1,7%) within the region in total. Offences against the security of the road traffic in the amount of 91.464 (there are not offences solved by traffic service included in this number) dominated, i.e. 62,3% of all investigated. 23.450 offences in the field of the public order and civic common life and 23.827 property offences were disclosed. 94.482 offences (i.e. 64,4%) of them were solved by the block penalties, the amount collected from penalties exceeded 22 mil. CZK. The Public Order Police announced 26.766 offences for further proceedings, 24.464 offences were postponed, 19.500 of them because of not disclosing the offender.
Criminality Offenders
The high number of habitual offenders has still overlasted in the structure of offenders, where their share of 42,1% in 1997 was practically the same as in 1996 (43%). As from the territorial point of view the highest number of habitual offenders is in the districts of Bruntál (53,5%) and Šumperk (47,4%), it means in districts located faraway from big industrial conurbations. On the contrary the lowest number of habitual offenders was recorded in the district of Poerov (29,4%). Habitual offenders participated by 62,3% in burglaries and 42,2% in simple thefts, burglaries to week-end houses dominate (85,1%) among them followed by shop-windows (66,1%), restaurants (63,7%), flats (61,6%) and shops (67%). As far as simple thefts are concerned other thefts dominate (66,8%) followed by thefts in other buildings (64,4%), bike thefts (55,4%) and pocket thefts (51.6%). Their share on robberies by 54,8%, violations by 43,6% and murders by 35,5% is very serious.
Foreigners committed 1.504 clarified crimes in total, i.e. 5,2% in the structure of offenders. In the frame of districts their share was highest in Karviná (8,3%) and Vsetín (7,8%) and the lowest in Opava (2,2%). They committed mainly simple thefts and violent crimes as from the criminality point of view. they were mostly offenders coming from the Slovak Republic (725), Poland (149), Ukraine (74) and Vietnam (62).
2. Security Risks
2a) Risks with the international element, which are directly connected with the stability of the political system
Legal and Illegal Migration
67 mil. persons were checked-in at the border crossing points of the Northern Moravia in 1997, 38,5 mil. of them were foreigners. Above mentioned data correspond to the migration level in 1996. The most frequented were border crossing points at Bohumín and Eeský Tišín in the direction to Poland and Mosty u Jablunkova in the direction to Slovakia. More than 15 thousands persons were returned back from the border crossing points due to defects in travel documents. The Alien and Border Police solved more than 13.000 offences and 70 crimes. 500 prohibitions of stay were imposed, 940 visas were issued and 60 foreigners could enter our territory legally with the gun. 327 persons recorded in the investigation files were detained as well as 36 motor vehicles in demand. 9.051 persons were granted the long-term or permanent residence status permits, they were mainly nationals of Slovakia (4.522), Poland, Vietnam and Ukraine. They were registrated mostly in the districts of Karviná and Ostrava (each approx. 2.500). About 29 thousands of accommodated aliens were registered in the region, the most of them were Slovaks (12.766), Poles and Vietnamese nationals. 69 refugees were recorded in the region till December 31, 1997, 6 of them were granted the status of the refugee. The departments of the Alien and Border Police imposed 809 prohibitions of stay, 25 persons were administratively expelled.
The serious situation has lasted already for three years at the border crossing point at Chotibuz. The unsufficient operation of the Polish border service creates great problems on our side with the extremely critical impact on ensuring the performance of the service of the Traffic Police in the district of Karviná.
The Alien and Border Police disclosed 10 illegal state border crossings by 12 motor vehicles in total. 8.679 offences were solved by block penalties, 810 crimes were detected. The goods in the value of 1,7 mil. CZK was detained in the frame of 28 cases realisation. Policemen of the Alien and Border Police recorded 502 persons for illegal state border crossings with Slovakia and 761 persons with Poland. 41 smugglers were detained during the screened period, the most of them was at the state border with Slovakia. Smuggled persons are mainly nationals of the former Soviet Union, Asians, Arabs and also Roumanians. This criminality is organised.
Organised Crime
Organised crime elements were signalled in Bruntál (the drugs distribution organisation realised by persons from the former Yugoslavia and Poland), in Frýdek Místek (the realisation of the group of offenders, including persons from Bulgaria and Hungary, hiring expensive cars from the rental office, which then export and sell abroad by means of the international net of middlemen), in Karviná (cases of "cooks" of pervitin transportation to Poland in order to produce this drug in Poland), in Nový Jieín ( the case of financial machinations), in Olomouc (organised crime elements could be noticed at drugs dissemination, car thefts and burglaries into shops with financially attractive goods), in Šumperk (the realisation of the net of carriers and drug distributors in "ANDROMEDA" action, in Ostrava (cases of burglaries into motor vehicles followed by their theft, organised burglaries in flats, claiming of debt financial amounts especially concerning the drug problems).
79 crimes of an illegal production and distribution of drugs were statistically recorded, the number of prosecuted persons was 87. 53 habitual offenders committed 38 cases of them. 54 cases of the addiction dissemination were solved (39 prosecuted persons). The half of them was committed by children (50%), young people in total (children + youth) committed 78%. The Administration of the Northern Moravia pays the great attention to these problems. 100% of the clarification as well as the reliable survey concerning these problems are the results of the above mentioned efforts. Anti-drugs commissions work in the regional city as well as in all district cities, in which the representation of the Police of the Czech Republic exists as well.
Racist Conflicts
The Skinheads movement is represented in the Northern Moravia by the highest number of members, which can be estimated on 650 members, it is followed by anarchists with the number of 120 members and several members of other less important groups. the greatest concentration of Skinheads supporters is in the districts of Karviná (about 180), Ostrava (about 140), Bruntál (about 90), Nový Jieín (about 70) and Frýdek Místek (about 60). The majority of crimes were recorded in the districts of Ostrava, Karviná, Bruntál, Nový Jieín, The districts of Šumperk and Jeseník had no criminality at all. The fact that these groups organise their meetings outside of their home residence area is characteristic. There were in total 25 (-29) extremist manifestations in the region, 14 (-29) of them with the racist motive. 12 attacks were against Romanies, 1 attack was committed by Romanies against white skins and 1 attack committed by Skinheads against foreigner. There was one conflict between skins and anarchists (district of Karviná). 42 persons were detained in connection with extremist manifestations in total, 33 persons from them were prosecuted for 35 crimes.
2b) Risks directly affecting the level of citizens consciousness of the protection of their freedoms, health and property
Criminality of Young People
Since 1994 there has been the permanent decrease of the share of young people on the criminality, which is the positive fact in the frame of the region (from 18,4% in 1994 to 12,4% in 1997). However the criminality of children increased tremendously in the same period (from 7,2% in 1994 to 11,3% in 1997), the overall criminality of youth then more or less stagnate around 24%. These problems have completely specific development in the city of Ostrava, where the share of young people declined (from 21,1% in 1994 to 10,4% in 1997), however the share of children has been permanently increasing (from 13,3% in 1995 to 27,5% in 1997). In the summary the youth from Ostrava reached the share of 37,9% in the offenders structure of the clarified criminality. This fact is warning mainly for the explosive character of the development at the children category. The increase of their share in burglaries was +26% (burglaries into shops +109%, flats +70%, other facilities +33%), in simple thefts +27% (objects from cars +39%). The share of children increased of 91% at the category of other property crimes and of 88% at other criminality. The development in Ostrava was the decisive factor in all cases, where the share of children only at thefts of objects from cars reached 74% and together with young people they dominated at this crimes with 86%.
Property Criminality
This type of the criminality has still represented the biggest group of crimes with a very negative impact of a large number of affected citizens. In the structure of the criminality in the region the number of 42.717 property crimes represent 73,9% of the overall criminality. The clarification was 28,6%.
The decrease of burglaries on 16.651 (-9%) is a positive element, however accompanied also by the decline of clarified crimes of -277 on 1.967. This fact was influenced mainly by the decrease of burglaries in restaurants (-17% with the main share of the districts of Olomouc, Poerov, Bruntál), flats (-17% with the main share of the districts of Ostrava, Olomouc, Karviná) and especially week-end houses (-31% with the main share of the districts of Frýdek-Místek, Nový Jičín, Přerov). In spite of these declined burglaries into flats (2.070 crimes), week-end houses (1.564 crimes), shops (1.368 crimes) and restaurants (1.094 crimes) have remained the most dangerous from the offender s interest point of view.
Simple thefts stagnated on 28.568 (+0,3%) in 1997. The clarification was 27,3%. The most remarkable changes - declines occurred at thefts among fellow-employees (-51%), pocket thefts (-20%) and bike thefts (-14%), the increase was registered at thefts of objects from cars (+12%) and spare parts thefts (+12%). Ostrava has the dominating share at these increases.
Economic Criminality
In 1997 the decline of the economic criminality about 462 crimes was recorded, 3.422 crimes were registered in total, however more serious cases with a substantially higher damage 1.692.191.000,- CZK (i.e. +436.582.000 CZK) were realised. The structure of the economic criminality did not change in comparison with 1996 with the exception of the increase of the embezzlements share. The increase of number of graduate offenders which results in the more difficult documentation. In 1997 employees in the field of the economic criminality were occupied mainly with the criminality connected with tax evasion in the field of tax deductions payments of tax on value, tax on salary of the legal persons and consumption tax of the light heating oils and spirit. Then frauds during the gaining of bank credits, machinations with consolidated papers in enterprises (the fraudulent over-assessment of the enterprise property) and so called "tunnelling" of the movable and immovable properties of enterprises and companies.
Violent Criminality
This is the most sensibly felt criminality by citizens. Overall 5.636 crimes meant the decline of 46 crimes, i.e. of 1%. The clarification was 81,7% (+2%). The high clarification of murders (91,8%) was successfully saved, i.e. from the total of 49 cases 45 are clarified. The composition of motives and ways of killing has not changed in comparison with previous times.
Robberies are the second most serious crime, 877 (+5) of them were recorded. The clarification was 52,8%.
In 1997 162 cases of fires (+34) and 6 cases of explosions (+4) were disclosed. Consequences were very serious, 16 persons were killed (fires 12, explosions 4) and 13 persons were heavily injured (fires 4, explosions 9). The technical defects or the negligent action were the main reasons of fires as well as in 1996. The Administration of the Northern Moravia sees the reason of the increasing number of explosions in more cases with racketeering motives with the help of booby traps.
The Administration of the Northern Moravia includes among observed security risks threatening phone calls concerning laying of booby traps - the dissemination of an alarming information. In 1997 249 cases (-22) were recorded. 48 cases (+17) were clarified. 48% of them (i.e. +10%) were registered at schools and educational institutions. Police tasks after receiving every announcement represent a huge burden for respective police units and therefore there is an effort to create a pressure for the decline of the number of cases by the clarification. Explosions in Olomouc and Ostrava, however were not announced anonymously before, only stress the importance of these problems.
Moral Criminality
In 1997 the decrease of 68 crimes on 379 was recorded after two years of the increase. 324 (85,5%) of them were clarified. 151 cases were violations. 133 (88,1%) of them were clarified. Mainly the decline of the number of disclosed crimes of sexual abuse of 41 on 168 occurred. There was no heavily injury or death of the victim in the screened period and no serious serial criminality was recorded.
As far as the prostitution is concerned, it has been still the local problem of an area near the border crossing points at Český Těšín and partially some other cities. According to the situation analysis it does not create the dangerous problems.
Security of Road Traffic
In 1997 there was the decline of the traffic accidents of 2,1% after several years of the increasing trend, 30.655 traffic accidents (-650) occurred in total. This positive trend did not reflect in consequences, the number of killed people (264) and heavily injured persons (1.079) means the highest data in the long-term time sequence. The incorrect way of driving 53% dominates among the reasons of accidents and drivers of private cars 48% among offenders. Policemen of the Traffic Police solved 126.753 offences during the year, which were penalised by 90,28 mil. CZK. 86.860 offences were solved by block penalty at the place of an accident. 514 pieces of driving licence were detained for traffic offences, in connection with the technicians work another 1.675 pieces of driving licence were detained and 924 of them were deprived. 2.722 car technical certificates were detained by technical inspectors in the course of the year.
The great lack of discipline of drivers and the small legal consciousness have still overlasted. Mainly the alcohol consumption before driving shows the rude overlooking of the legal regulations. The increasing number of cars and driving licence possessors as well, the small permeability and bad condition of communications make the problems of accidents deeper. The districts of Ostrava, Olomouc and Frýdek-Místek participate mostly on the number of car accidents.
Traffic and transportation professionals agree on the opinion that the impact of the decrease of traffic speed in villages on 50 km is not possible to assess explicitly mainly because the period, in which this new regulation is valid, cannot be compare with the same period of 1996 due to different weather conditions.
1996 | 1997 | Change in % +/- | |
Disclosed crimes in total | 67 917 | 65 918 | -2,9 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % | 29 874 44,0 | 29 091 44,1 | -2,6 - |
Disclosed damages in total (in thousands CZK) | 2 433 023 | 2 916 609 | 19,9 |
Secured damages | 36 947 | 30 145 | -18,4 |
Common criminality | 58 806 | 57 036 | -3,0 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % | 21 552 36,6 |
21 018 36,9 | -2,5 - |
Violent criminality | 5 682 | 5 636 | -0,8 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % from that: Robberies Murders Intentional health harm | 4 526 79,7 872 54 2 794 |
4 603 81,7 877 49 2 809 |
1,7 - 0,6 -9,3 0,5 |
Moral criminality | 447 | 379 | -15,2 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % from that: Violation | 383 85,7 153 | 324 85,5 151 | -15,4 - -1,3 |
Property criminality | 50 235 | 48 717 | -3,0 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % | 14 326 28,5 | 13 951 28,6 | -2,6 - |
Burglaries | 18 336 | 16 651 | -9,2 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % from that: in flats in week-end houses | 4 726 25,8 2 494 2 079 |
4 314 25,9 2 070 1 564 |
-8,7 - -17,0 -24,8 |
Simple thefts | 28 487 | 28 568 | 0,3 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % from that: motor vehicles objects from cars bicycles pocket thefts Frauds | 7 743 27,2 3 181 9 921 4 601 1 580 1 275 | 7 803 27,3 3 196 11 083 3 944 1 260 1 049 | 0,8 - 0,5 11,7 -14,3 -20,3 -17,7 |
Economic criminality | 3 884 | 3 422 | -11,9 |
Clarified crimes i. e. in % from that: frauds embezzlement | 3 531 90,9 2 128 720 |
3 028 88,5 1 435 722 |
-14,2 - -32,6 0,3 |
The Northern Moravia - the Development of the Criminality in Separate Districts in 1996 and 1997 | |||||||||||
Year 1996 | Year 1997 | change | |||||||||
Disctrict | disclosed crimes | clarified crimes | quantity./ 10th inhab. | clarification in % | disclosed crimes | clarified crimes | quantity./ 10th inhab. | clarifity in % | disclosed crimes in % | clarifity in % | % of clarifity |
Bruntál | 3 079 | 1 702 | 278 | 55,3 | 2 965 | 1 602 | 280 | 54,0 | -3,7 | -5,9 | -1,2 |
Frýdek-Místek | 5 887 | 2 659 | 257 | 45,2 | 5 979 | 2 652 | 261 | 44,4 | 1,6 | -0,3 | -0,8 |
Karviná | 10 108 | 4 477 | 354 | 44,3 | 9 924 | 4 228 | 348 | 42,6 | -1,8 | -5,6 | -1,7 |
Nový Jičín | 4 595 | 2 133 | 285 | 46,4 | 4 323 | 1 952 | 268 | 45,2 | -5,9 | -8,5 | -1,3 |
Olomouc | 9 208 | 3 379 | 407 | 36,7 | 8 637 | 3 431 | 382 | 39,7 | -6,2 | 1,5 | 3,0 |
Opava | 4 433 | 2 351 | 244 | 53,0 | 4 626 | 2 387 | 254 | 51,6 | 4,4 | 1,5 | -1,4 |
Ostrava | 18 347 | 7 359 | 565 | 40,1 | 18 828 | 7 671 | 582 | 40,7 | 2,6 | 4,2 | 0,6 |
Přerov | 4 505 | 2 030 | 326 | 45,1 | 3 703 | 1 753 | 269 | 47,3 | -17,8 | -13,6 | 2,3 |
Šumperk | 2 807 | 1 407 | 169 | 50,1 | 2 226 | 1 112 | 175 | 50,0 | -20,7 | -21,0 | -0,2 |
Vsetín | 3 590 | 1 689 | 242 | 47,0 | 3 561 | 1 709 | 240 | 48,0 | -0,8 | 1,2 | 0,9 |
Jeseník | 1 358 | 688 | 317 | 50,7 | 1 146 | 594 | 268 | 51,8 | -15,6 | -13,7 | 1,2 |
In total | 67 917 | 29 874 | 337 | 44,0 | 65 918 | 335 | 335 | 44,1 | -2,9 | -2,6 | 0,1 |
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