On July 20, Vitebsk /BelTA correspondent/. The crime rate in the Vitebsk region has decreased by 13.4% in the first half of the year, Igor Bogachev, head of the organisational and control department of the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, told BelTA. In total, 6.2 thousand crimes were registered in the region in January-June. The crime rate per 10,000 population was 51.2 (55.2 for the republic). Over the past period, the number of murders (by 30%), robberies (by 40.6%), muggings (by 19.5%), rapes (by 61.5%), car thefts (by 52.2%), hooliganism (by 53.9%), and fraud (by 38.7%) has significantly decreased. The number of recidivist crimes decreased by 13.1%, crimes committed by a group of persons by 10.2%, and by minors by 23.7%. A decrease in criminal acts in public places and in the family and domestic sphere was also observed. In general, thanks to the joint efforts of all state structures, a stable downward trend in crime has emerged in the region: over the past five years (first half of 2007 - first half of 2012), the number of committed crimes has decreased from 10.6 thousand to 6.2 thousand, or by 48.8%, including grave and especially grave crimes - by half, intentional murders - by 3.5 times, robberies - by 5 times, muggings - by 2.5 times, hooliganism - by more than 10 times. In January-June, over 700 inspections were carried out under prosecutorial supervision, resulting in 613 orders, 670 submissions, and 293 protests issued to the heads of enterprises and organisations. At the request of prosecutors, over 2.4 thousand people were brought to disciplinary, administrative, and material liability for violations of the law, and 868 were officially warned about the inadmissibility of violating the law. To compensate for material damage, prosecutors filed 1.3 thousand lawsuits in general courts in the interests of the state and state-owned enterprises for over Br1.75 billion. 129 lawsuits were sent to economic courts for the recovery of accounts receivable and other matters for Br12 billion. In order to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens, about 2.5 thousand appeals were resolved, 3.2 thousand people were received in person and given legal explanations. More than 1.5 thousand meetings and talks were held in work collectives. -0-

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