The life safety and victimization in contemporary world: the experience of empirical measurement

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the empirical measurement of indicators of life safety and victimization of society. Attention is focused on the problems of official statistics regarding the reflection of the real state of the spread of crime, as well as the need to determine its prognostic role and its relationship with state policy, which is aimed at countering and preventing certain types of crimes. The article analyses the world experience of conducting victimological research, particularly in Europe and the United States. The features of the domestic research on the problems underlying the security of the population. Outlines their role in modern criminology, victimology, sociology of security and securitology. The relationship between indicators of safety and the victimization of society is analyzed. Based on data obtained through empirical sociological study "Social inequalities: the perception by the Ukrainian society" conducted with the financial support of International Fund "Revival" of the Sociological Association of Ukraine (SAU) (August-September 2017), attempted to evaluate the level of public security in contemporary Ukraine, its differentiated territorially-administrative units according to their level of victimization. Analyzed the performance of the sense of security as a prerequisite of personal development and building interpersonal relations daily activities. It is proved that the state of security of the individual depends on the level of security and level of victimization. Defined the relationship between sense of security and social status of the informants. Systematic data on the prevalence of such crimes as traffic accidents, thefts, robberies, robberies, crimes against life and health. The comparative analysis of data of official regional statistics in relation to specified offences and the results of sociological and victimological research. Conclusions regarding the objective assessment of the crime situation through the existing system of statistical accounting. The prospects for application of the sociological and victimological research to prevent the spread of crime in our country. Attention is accented on the necessity of sociological indicators to assess the extent of latent crime.