Current Situation with Organized Crime in Ukraine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21564/2414-990x.135.83859Keywords:
organized group, criminal organization, quantitative and qualitative records of organized crime, latency, combating organized crimeAbstract
The article provides analysis of organized crime in Ukraine for the period from 2006 to 2015. Based on official statistics data it has been revealed that quantitative and qualitative records of crimes, committed by organised groups (OG) and criminal associations (CA), are declining rapidly.
The number of detected OGs and CAs in Ukraine from 2006 to 2015 decreased by 3,5 times, the number of detected criminal individuals decreased threefold. In particular, 466 OGs and CAs were identified in 2006, while in 2015 only 166 were identified.
The number of persons convicted for crimes committed within stable organized structures were as follows: in 2013 – 587 persons, in 2014 – 492 persons and in 2015 – 228 persons. The last figure makes only 0, 2% of the total (both within and outside organized structures) convicted persons in 2015.
In overall the law enforcement agencies identified the following number of OGs and CAs with transnational links in resent years: in 2014 – ten, in 2015 – four, in 10 months in 2016 – four. On average, a criminal group consists of four members. According to official records, during the period of 2014-2015 not a single gram of cocaine and heroin has been confiscated.
The author observed a research of victimologist Jan van Dijk, which demonstrated that in 2003 Ukraine was among 15 countries with the highest levels of organized crime (Composite Organized Crime Index – COCI). Emphasis was made on the limitations of official statistics which does not always adequately reflect the actual level of organized crime.
The aforementioned statistics for the past 10 years reflect the inefficiency of law enforcement agencies in identifying undercover, disguised criminal activity. The author explains the situation by various factors, among them one of the most important is corruption in law enforcement agencies. Comprehensive studies of organized crime latency is suggested to be conducted at the state level.
References
Dijk, J. (2006). The ICVS and Beyond: Developing a Comprehensive Set of Crime Indicators. International Key issues in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice: papers in celebration of 25 years of HEUNI. HEUNI. Helsinki. Publication Series, 50.
Pro orhanizatsijno-pravovi osnovy borot’by z orhanizovanoiu zlochynnistiu: Zakon Ukrainy vid 30.06.1993 № 3341-XII [On the organizational and legal framework to combat organized crime, Law of Ukraine]. (1993). Vidom. Verkh. Rady Ukrainy, 35 [in Ukrainian].
Pro Kontseptsiiu rozvytku sektoru bezpeky i oborony Ukrainy: Rishennia Rady natsionalnoi bezpeky i oborony Ukrainy vid 4 bereznia 2016 roku: Ukaz Prezydenta Ukrainy vid 16.03.2016 r. [On the Concept of the security and defense of Ukraine: The decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated March 4, 2016: Decree of the President of Ukraine 16.03.2016 r. № 92/2016]. president.gov.ua. Retrieved from: http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/922016-19832 [in Ukrainian].
Kulyk O. H., Naumova I. V., Bova A. A. (2015). Zlochynnist v Ukraini: faktory, tendentsii, protydiia (2002-2014 rr.) [Crime in Ukraine: factors, trends, counteraction (2002–2014)]. Kyiv: DNDI MVS Ukrainy [in Ukrainian].
EU Serious and Organised Tsrime Threat Assessment (SOTsTA). europol.europa.eu. Report Organised Tsrime (SOTsTA/OTsTA. Retrieved from: https://vvv.europol.europa.eu/tsontent/eu-serious-and-organised-tsrime-threat-assessment-sotsta.
Analiz stanu zdijsnennia sudochynstva v 2015 rotsi (za danymy sudovoi statystyky) [Analysis of the administration of justice in 2015 (according to court statistics)]. scourt.gov.ua. Retrieved from: http://www.scourt.gov.ua/clients/vsu/vsu.nsf/(documents)/D7F9F72E78DA88ECC2257F730036F282 [in Ukrainian].
Stan zdiisnennia sudochynstva v Ukraini u 2015 rotsi [The Situation with the administration of justice in Ukraine in 2015]. scourt.gov.ua. Retrieved from: http://www.scourt.gov.ua/clients/vsu/vsu.nsf/(documents)/D17027FCA3B933F6C2257F930027876A.
SBU zatrymala rekordnu partiiu heroina – 500 kh (video) [Security Service of Ukraine detained a record heroin – 500 kg (Video)]. sbu.gov.ua. Retrieved from: http://www.sbu.gov.ua/sbu/control/uk/publish/article;jsessionid=AAE68DE159DB0261D3A0966B2F8C6B81.app1?art_id=145839&cat_id=39574 [in Ukrainian].
Shostko, O.Yu. (2009). Analiz efektyvnosti diyal’nosti systemy kryminal’noyi yustytsiyi u sferi protydiyi orhanizovaniy zlochynnosti v okremykh yevropeys’kykh krayinakh [Analysis of the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in combating organized crime in some European countries]. Problemy zakonnosti – Problems of legality, 101 [in Ukrainian].
Neapol’s’ka politychna deklaratsiia i Hlobal’nyj plan dij proty orhanizovanoi transnatsional’noi zlochynnosti [Naples Political Declaration and Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime]. zakon3.rada.gov.ua. Retrieved from: http://zakon3.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_787 [in Ukrainian].
Shostko, O.Yu. (2011). Merezhna orhanizatsiia – suchasna rysa orhanizovanoi zlochynnosti. [Network Organization – a modern feature of organized crime]. Pytannia borot’by zi zlochynnistiu – The issue of combating crime. Kharkiv: Pravo, 22 [in Ukrainian].
Luneev, V.V. (2001). Pravovoe rehulyrovanye obschestvennykh otnoshenyj – vazhnyj faktor preduprezhdenyia orhanyzovannoj y korruptsyonnoj prestupnosty [The legal regulation of social relations – an important factor in the prevention of organized crime and corruption]. Hosudarstvo y pravo – State and Law, 5 [in Russian].
Materyaly OON po ukreplenyiu zakonnosty y uporiadochenyiu systemy uholovnoho pravosudyia [Materials of the UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders]. (2001). Borba s prestupnostiu za rubezhom – The Fight against Crime in Abroad, 19 [in Russian].
Podil’chak O.M. (2016). Formuvannia pravosvidomosti osoby cherez realizatsiiu sotsial’noi funktsii kryminal’noho prava [Formation of legal consciousness of people through the implementation of the social function of criminal law]. Sotsial’na funktsiia kryminal’noho prava: problemy naukovoho zabezpechennia, zakonotvorennia ta pravozastosuvannia 12-13 zhovtnia 2016 roku – Social function of criminal law: problems of the scientific providing, law creation and law application Oct. 12-13th 2016. Kharkiv: Pravo [in Ukrainian].
Ukraina: hlybyna nerivnosti [Ukraine: the depth of inequality]. gazeta.dt.ua. Retrieved from: http://gazeta.dt.ua/internal/ukrayina-glibina-nerivnosti-_.html.
Pro zatverdzhennia Planu zakhodiv schodo realizatsii Kontseptsii derzhavnoi polityky u sferi borot’by z orhanizovanoiu zlochynnistiu : rozporiadzhennia Kab. Ministriv Ukrainy vid 25.01.2012 № 53-r [On approval of the action plan on implementation of the Concept of state policy in the fight against organized crime : the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 25.01.2012 № 53]. (2012). Uriadovyj kur’ier – Governmental Courier, 27 [in Ukrainian].
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2016 олена юріївна шостко
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
