Victims
The number of the victims in contemporary Russia is huge. The number of persons on death row in Russia is high. Table 7 shows number of persons on death row in Russia each year, from 1987 to 2001.
Latent criminality is high. A national victimological survey is absent, but there are local studies. Our victimological study in St. Petersburg (1999-2002) shows that:
• There is stable share of victims from St. Petersburg's citizens: 26.5 % in 1999; 27.0 % in 2000; 25.9 % in 2001; and 26.1 % in 2002.
• 28-36 % respondents of all victims were victims more than once (two and more times) a year.
• There is a stable share of victims, who did not report to the police: 70.3 % in 1999; 69.2 % un 2000; 73.7 % in 2001; and 73.5 % in 2002.
• Reasons for refusing to report are: «nothing would be done» in 35-38 %; «police could not do anything» in 17-19 %; «did not want to have contact with police» said another 7-8%; «injury was insignificant or there was no injury» claimed 26-32 %, etc.
• Reaction of police when crime was reported: «did not react at all» said 12-18 %; «a long time afterward, they took action» claimed 5-8%; and «do not know anything about actions of police» insisted 11-15 % (!). Police reaction was immediately only for 29-38 % of the victims.
Similar results were observed in the city of Volgograd and the town of Borowitchy (2001). The study shows that the Russian people do not set informal wedges against crimes and police activity is low.
Table 8.Number on Death Row (1987-2001)
Source: Crime and Delinquency. Statistical Review. Annual. Moscow: MVD RF, MJ RF.
