The preferred victim groups of criminals are children, the elderly and people with disabilities

Frauds can be prevented in almost all cases with appropriate precautions and vigilance - stated Tibor László Nagy, Senior Research Associate, Senior Advisor, Head of the Crime Research and Analysis Department of the National Institute of Criminology.

Based on their research, what picture emerged of the extent of the crimes?

In the last two decades, total crime has decreased significantly in Hungary. While the number of registered crimes was 420,782 in 2012, it will be 154,012 in 2021. This trend can be observed in almost all crimes, but the exception is domestic violence, which was introduced into law in 2013, and the number of related crimes in 2014 was only 158. was, but before last year, 757 cases had already become known.

What is the most common crime?

A clear trend that has prevailed for a long time is the outstanding proportion of crimes against property in relation to the number of all registered crimes. These crimes account for about forty to sixty percent of the total crime data, so they are of decisive importance in terms of the development of total crime. To give you the most recent data, before last year, for example, 42.3 percent of all registered crimes were crimes against property.

How long can this favorable trend last?

It is possible that the number of certain crimes may increase in the near future, and thus even the total crime rate may increase.

What could cause the trend to reverse?

Many factors can be behind the changes, but the deterioration of the economic situation, high inflation, and difficulties in making a living typically have a negative effect on criminality.

Which social groups are the most common targets of criminals?

Children, the elderly and people with some kind of disability can be considered the preferred victim group of criminals. That is why, in the case of multiple crimes, the actions against such victims are considered more serious. For example, the penalty for homicide is ten to twenty years or life imprisonment if the homicide is committed against a person who has not reached the age of fourteen, or who has limited ability to prevent the crime due to old age or disability.

How can society defend itself against criminals?

Different defense methods can be recommended against different types of crime. Frauds can be prevented in almost all cases with appropriate precautions and vigilance. Based on the empirical research data of the National Institute of Criminology, I can say: the robberies that happened could have been prevented from a situational point of view if the victim was not traveling alone; if you do not trust the perpetrator who confides in you; if you don't let him into your apartment; if you do not comply with your request; if you don't start drinking with him.

In many cases, it also leads to tragedy if someone shows off their money, and trouble can be prevented; if someone does not use their mobile phone in a place that is not considered safe; if stronger doors and windows and an alarm protect the apartment, and in some cases, the continuous perpetration could have been stopped, if the victims of childhood and youth report the actions to teachers and educators sooner.

What can a person who is affected by open aggression do?

In such cases, physical resistance can only be recommended if it is highly likely to be effective. In the case of acts of violence against property, it is more advisable to comply with the offender's request and to note his characteristics in order to catch him later. Such important data for the police can be the physique, tattoos, clothes, accent, specific movement of the perpetrator, as well as where and how he left the scene of the crime.

Can we carry a self-defense device?

The legislation does not prohibit this, but only those who know how to use the device properly should carry a permitted self-defense device, because the defense may backfire. In addition, it is very important that the victim can control himself, so that he does not become a perpetrator due to unjustified use.

How do you feel whether the general sense of public safety has deteriorated? The population's faith in the police?

People get most of their knowledge about crime from the media, whose depiction of violence can cause some people to feel unwarranted fear. In general, it can be said that public sentiment is primarily determined by the fear of violent crime, as few people are aware that their frequency is much lower than that of crimes against property. Studies show that knowledge about crime has a stronger impact on the development of fear of crime than personal victimization experiences.

The role of the place of residence is also decisive in this issue: people living in an environment burdened with infrastructural deficiencies are much more likely to see that public safety is bad than in a region that is prosperous.

In what direction has the attention of criminals turned in recent years?

We live in a digital age, new technologies increasingly permeate our everyday life and this can also be seen in the case of crimes. Cybercrimes targeting data are an increasing threat, but online opportunities also encourage certain traditional crimes, such as digital photography in the case of child pornography, online sales in the case of fraud, or electronic communication in some forms of harassment.

Have you seen any signs of criminals using artificial intelligence?

Although it is still almost unfathomable to many today, at the same time, the harmful use of artificial intelligence and subconscious manipulation can present dangers that appear within moments. "What does a bank robbery matter compared to the establishment of a bank", wrote Bertolt Brecht, but unfortunately nowadays you don't even need to set up a bank in order for someone to get millions of loot on the Internet.

 

Emperor Tamás