Klaipėdos universitetas

The article examines the expression and dynamics of the phenomenon of murder in the city of Klaipėda between 2004 and 2014. This period, which began with the accession of Lithuania to the European Union, has a very important context of societal changes, which provided the authors of the article with theoretical and practical access to an analysis of the causality and expression of the phenomenon of murder. The sociological approach reveals a socio-demographic portrait of the victim and the person who committed a murder, in the context of segments of the structural expression of the phenomenon of murder (age, gender, social status). The article presents statistical data from murders registered in the Official Register of Criminal Acts (ORCA). For the analysis of these data, the authors purposefully chose the positivist theories of external restraint and subculture of violence, which have practical access to reveal segments of the structural expression of the phenomenon of murder in a changing society. This presupposes access to the continuity of research on the resolution of the phenomenon of murder in the next decade (2015 to 2023). The research results presented in the article focus on the development of murder prevention strategies for all structural platforms of society, especially in the fields of education, law and social policy.

The article analyses the dynamics of domestic violence in the city of Klaipėda during the period from 2010 to 2020. The analysis of reported cases of violence is intended to reveal the functioning reality of the Republic of Lithuania’s Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LPADV) adopted in 2011, and to evaluate the fact that violence, as a conditionally marginalised phenomenon for a long time, is raised to the level of an actual social problem. In evaluating the dynamics of this phenomenon over the ten-year period, the authors reject the hypothesis that cultural traditions of violence have changed over the years. During the period analysed, domestic violence has established itself as one of the most widespread violent crimes in Lithuania, overshadowing other forms of violence. The article introduces four indicators of sociological assessment, which consist of the abuser’s family situation, gender, recurrent criminality, and associations between age cohorts, in a focused manner, which reveals the social effects of the adoption of the law, demonstrating ‘the disclosure’ of the known but deliberately ‘overlooked’ reality by the LPADV. The analysis of segments of violence presented in the article suggests the development of specific measures for the prevention of domestic violence and programme strategies, because not only is the legal regulation of domestic violence significant, but so is the identification of target groups that go beyond popular stereotypes of this phenomenon.

Rita Vaičekauskaitė. Negalios studijų kritinis diskursas sveikatos mokslų kontekste. 2020. Klaipėdos universiteto leidykla

Straipsnyje atskleidžiama savanorystės fenomeno raiška visuomenėje, akcentuojami savanoriškos veiklos ypatumai nevyriausybinėse organizacijoje (toliau – NVO), teikiant socialines paslaugas. Aptariant NVO veiklos turinį socialinės politikos kontekste pristatomos NVO ir savanorystės ištakos. Remiantis Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymais, aptariama NVO galia vertinant teisinio reguliavimo pokyčius vykdant savanorišką veiklą. Sąsajų tarp savanoriškos, socialinio darbo ir NVO veiklos išryškinimas leidžia modeliuoti įvairių socialinių problemų sprendimo strategijas, siekiant mažinti socialinę atskirtį ir puoselėti visuomenės bendruomeniškumą, rengiant socialinius darbuotojus. Teisinis savanorystės reguliavimas sudaro NVO veiklos profesionalizacijos ir veiksmingo socialinės politikos įgyvendinimo prielaidas.

The article discusses the classic sociological question about the links between poverty and delinquency, whether the urban areas with a dense concentration of people living in social housing, common lodging-houses and hostels are more prone to crimes? Does living nearby such social objects means a higher risk for nearby residents? The article suggests that social housing, common lodging-houses and hostels meant for homeless asylum seekers and their families could only hypothetically be considered to be the areas with higher crime rates. Using the data available at the Department of Social Housing of Klaipėda City Municipality about the location of such housing in the city (localisation structure), the method of crime mapping, and the opportunities provided by a Geographic Information System, we have attempted to evaluate empirically the links between delinquency and the urban areas populated by socially vulnerable and economically disadvantaged people. The article provides the preliminary data of the research. This research has been funded by a grant (MIP-085/2014) from the Research Council of Lithuania.

The article discusses the declining juvenile crime rate in Klaipėda between 1995 and 2019. The city of Klaipėda was chosen as an empirical illustration allowing not only to focus on a social phenomenon but also to identify possible directions of wider interpretation and causal links. The authors have already presented a sociological reconstruction of the identities of Klaipėda between 1990 and 2010,* and therefore the dynamics of juvenile crime discussed in the light of new statistical, sociological and especially legal perspectives should be approached as a continuation of the analysis of juvenile crime in Klaipėda. Placing juvenile crime in the context of social problems, the authors see legal changes and programmes in juvenile justice as possible reasons for the declining juvenile crime rate. However, with the conclusions and discussion in the article being based on four hypothetical assumptions for the declining crime rate (delinquency is caused by the process of juvenile biological and social development; a completely opposite hypothesis: with the end of maturation, delinquent behaviour also ceases; links between delinquency and socially vulnerable families; a return to K. Mannheim’s idea of a contract between the elite of society and youth) provoke a continuation of research in the field of youth crime.

The article deals with the problem of domestic violence against women and assesses the expression of this phenomenon in the context of a society approach. The statistical construct of this phenomenon confirms the assumption that the establishment of legal fundamentals for protection against violence is linked to a process of changing the society approach to this issue. The analysis of theoretical and legal discourse of domestic violence reveals that the consistent implementation of the strategy of legal protection of victims against domestic violence has enabled the creation of a specialized comprehensive assistance infrastructure system throughout the country, which provides access to appropriate medical, psychological, legal assistance and at the same time entitles the society to develop prevention programmes that help to establish intolerance towards violence. The Republic of Lithuania Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (2011) has laid strong foundations for the establishment of specialized assistance centres and implies the development of necessary infrastructure.

This paper analyzes the changes of the property crime (theft) dynamics and location in Klaipeda city during 1990–2015 years assessing the expression of this phenomenon in the context of changing society. Using theories of the Chicago School of sociology (R. Park and E. Burgess C. Show, H. M. McKay) and the critical insights of its interpretations (E. Sutherland L. Cohen, M. Fels et al.) that allow to us to understand the phenomenon of crime not only in the wide geographic space, but also in the localized environment. The authors present an analysis of territorial clusters (neighborhoods) where phenomenon of theft in Klaipėda is the most located. Assessing geographical, social, economic development of the city regions the authors disclosed the “hottest” points of city in which were recorded this offense. Assessing the considering the geographical, social, economic development of city regions were disclosed the “hottest” city points, where are recorded this offense. Dynamics of this process analyzes in the frame of selected four (1990–1994; 1995–1999; 2000–2004; 2005–2009) periods. The authors, based on forecasts of Lithuanian criminologists about crime trends in Lithuania until 2015, presents their own scientific insights and assessments, which may be useful in developing strategies for the prevention of theft in Klaipėda.

The article explores the dynamics of domestic violence in the city of Klaipėda over the period 2010 to 2014, with the aim of demonstrating how the Republic of Lithuania’s Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LOPADV), passed in 2011, raised a relatively marginalised phenomenon to the level of a relevant social problem. The statistical data presented in the article call for a detailed analysis of the dynamics of the phenomenon in order to identify the social and legal causes of changes in domestic violence, and to anticipate prerequisites for strategies related to the safety of the victims of violence and the prevention of violence. The article analyses cases of violence registered with Klaipėda city’s Chief Police Commissariat, in an attempt to evaluate the social profile of domestic violence, and to highlight the essential characteristics of perpetrators and victims. By transcending the rather narrow boundaries of the psychological treatment of this phenomenon, an attempt is made to identify the most important empirical characteristics that would lead in the long run to an opportunity for the sociological interpretation of the phenomenon.