The criminological characteristic for property crimes committed by juveniles: a regional aspect

Property crimes of juveniles present a social legal and mass phenomenon. They comprise the crimes against property provided in Chapter 21 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation committed by the people at the age from 14 to 18. Property crimes of juveniles constitute only one part of juvenile crimes and are characterized by such characteristics as condition, structure and dynamics. The study of property crimes in Kemerovo region during 2004-2012 showed their key place in the structure of juvenile crimes. The least number of known property crimes of juveniles was registered in 2012-1 702 and the highest number in 2004-3 441crimes. The specific weight of property crimes in the amount of all registered crimes of juveniles was from 78, 1% to 83, 3%; the average index was 1 832, 7 per 100 000 juveniles. There was a favorable dynamics in the absolute indicators of property crimes committed by juveniles (3 441-1702=1 739), the rate of drawdown being -50, 5% and the number of those who committed them (3 828- 1 377=2 451), the rate of drawdown being -64, 0%. The dynamics of relative indicators (both indices and the specific weight) in the course of the research was directed differently. There was a negative dynamics in the indices of property crimes (1 734, 11 524, 1). On the contrary the indicators of a specific weight except the last three years (2010-2012 years) grew from 78, 1% in 2004 to 83, 3% in 2009. The growth rate by the end of research was 2, 9% as compared with 2004. Thefts dominated in the structure of property crimes, their share being 60%. The second widely spread crime was robbery the share of which apart from absolute indicators went up by 16, 9%. Carjacking was characterized by a positive dynamics: +44, 4% by the end of the research. Both absolute (57, 7%) and relative (28, 8%) indicators of robberies were decreasing and the specific weight of frauds and extortion was rather small. At the same time the positive tendency was extinguished by the following indicators: the level of recidivism (in the sphere of property crimes) was rather high (about 20%); the number of registered thefts and robberies committed by juveniles was higher than the number of those found guilty of these crimes and the specific weight of gang offences was also high (not less than 70, 2%). We can say that every second registered property crime in the region was committed by a gang of juveniles.

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