NCJ Number
131168
Date Published
Unknown
Length
31 pages
Annotation
This paper analyzes, in general terms, the conditions, rate, and dynamics of crime in Estonia since 1944 obtained from data from military and civil prosecutors' records; compares crime patterns between the three Baltic States; compares crime in the Baltic area with other regions in the Soviet Union; and compares crime trends between Estonia and neighboring Scandinavian countries. Murder is used as the primary basis for comparison.
Abstract
The development of the Soviet criminal code, and its implementation in Estonia, is crucial to understand crime trends in the region. Equally significant is the definition of five distinct socio-economic districts. The author maintains that the crime rate appears to be lower in districts where citizens own more personal property, because property ownership affects income and population stability. Crime is also affected by the proportion of urban populations in a region. Cultural factors in Estonia and Latvia tend to make the crime rates there higher than in nearby Lithuania. Crime in Estonia and Latvia is also more prevalent than in the Soviet Union as a whole, although the crime rate in the country has risen steadily over the past 40 years. Most crimes in the Baltic are property thefts. Estonia has a living standard one-third lower than the European average, and a much higher average crime rate; the increase in the crime rate is also faster than in Europe. An overview of crime patterns worldwide is included in this report. 18 references