Russian Journal of Economics and Law (Mar 2014)
MODERN CRIMINOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CRIME IN RURAL AREAS
Abstract
Objective: to examine the relevance of the issue and the characteristics of crime in rural areas in the Russian Federation, which is determined, on the one hand, by the complexity of the criminal situation in rural areas, the acuteness of the problems of the crime counter-action organization, including prevention; and the lack of study of criminological problems of rural crime, on the other. Methods: ascent from the abstract to the specific; systemic-structural and comparative analysis; historical, dynamic and statistical methods, as well as specific-sociological methodology of evaluating rural crime. Results: specific features of crime in rural areas are shown, as well as its social danger in comparison with urban crime. The effective directions of improving counteraction against the above crimes are proposed. Scientific novelty: the article considers the trends of crime in rural areas, compares the dynamics of registered crimes in rural and urban areas. The following features are revealed: crime level is higher in rural areas than in urban ones; especially grave is condition and scale (in comparison to cities) of deaths and grievous bodily harm among the villagers caused by criminal encroachments; the number of the killed among the villagers in Russia over the recent 3 years is stable and is more than two times larger than the similar level in cities, and almost one and a half times larger than the number of people with grievous bodily harm in the cities. The authors indicate the complexity of the criminal situation in the village. The tendency of reduction of crimes registrated in rural areas in 2009-2012 does not reflect its actual state, as this trend is caused by the artificial reduction of registered crimes during the last years. Practical value: the reseach results show the level of social danger of rural crime, which can serve as the basis for elaborating effective solutions for its prevention.