CRIME AND ACCIDENTS

 

Social structures are changing currently, as residents are stratifying by income levels. The sudden inflation after regaining independence in 1991 as well as the bank crisis in Latvia in 1994-1995 shocked the public. The increasing wages still do not keep up with the inflation, thus decreasing the buying power of population leading to the feeling of insecurity among citizens. In 2000, only 36.2% of inhabitants were sure that the state and municipal police are able to guarantee security in their neighborhoods (data from Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, 2000).

 RECORDED CRIMES

 

21,115 cases of violation were registered in 2000 that is more by 14.1% than previous year (42.1% from the total number of cases in Latvia). Of the total crimes recorded, serious crimes were 8524 (5245 solved) or 42.4% from the cases in Latvia: 90 homicides (41.1%), 179 serious bodily injury (42.4%), 26 rapes (19.4%), 2170 robberies (76.5%). There is also rapid increase of violation cases dealing with illicit preparation, storage and selling of narcotics (439 cases in 2000 in comparison with 221 in 1999). In 2000 45 cases of violation of traffic regulations causing death have been recorded. Crime rate per 10,000 inhabitants in 2000 was 277 in Riga (see Table 26). In 2000, the clearance rate for recorded crimes was 24.8%. The largest offender group by age in 2000 was between 18 and 24 (see Figure 58). The number of juveniles between offenders has decreased in comparison with 1999. Percentage of females to the total number of offenders in 2000 was the same as in 1999, but much more than in 1995 (see Table 27).

 

 ROAD ACCIDENTS 

 

In 2000, 1655 road traffic accidents were recorded in Riga. Mortality due to traffic accidents was 12 per 100,000 of population (see Table 25).

 

 FIRES

 

2566 cases of fire were accounted in 2000 (see Table 25).