Cost of crime in Ukraine: an empirical analysis

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the cost of crime as understood in Ukrainian and foreign criminology, investigating both the direct and indirect damage caused by crime, its social consequences and Ukrainians’ attitudes toward its costs.

Design/methodology/approach

From January 2018 to May 2019, data were gathered using an online questionnaire from 717 respondents between 14 and 65 years of age residing in all regions of Ukraine.

Findings

Results suggest a high level of concern among Ukrainian citizens regarding security and crime. Latent criminality, crime rates and mistrust of law enforcement are high in Ukraine. It was found that the total cost of crime to the respondents (losses from crimes) reached UAH2m, and 69.3 per cent reported fear of becoming a victim of crime, with 26.2 per cent indicating that they had already been victims.

Practical implications

The knowledge of the cost of crime obtained in this study is vital for understanding crime in Ukraine. The results could be effectively leveraged to develop effective and cost-efficient means of combating crime. They could also be used to forecast crime rates, and thus, optimize future responses to the challenges of crime.

Originality/value

This is the first comprehensive study of the cost of crime in Ukraine and it indicates both the tangible and intangible costs of the damage it inflicts. Notwithstanding the country-specific case-study context, the results could inform discussions and decisions at a broader international scale, subject to the usual caveats.

Citation

Smetanina, N.V. and Kulyk, K.D. (2020), "Cost of crime in Ukraine: an empirical analysis", Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 97-109. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-10-2019-0065