The Criminological Information Systems in Lithuania: Statistical Aspects
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Abstract
The article analyses criminological information systems in Lithuania, its actual situation and main problems. The focus of analysis is on the content of criminological statistics as well as on the presentation of statistical data to end-users.
The Information System for Crime Prevention in Lithuania (ISCPL) is exclusive, the most important criminological information system in Lithuania. Therefore, it is advisable to give a brief statement of its present situation. The ISCPL functions on the Web site of Centre for Crime Prevention in Lithuania (http://www.nplc.lt/english/index.html) in two languages – Lithuanian and English. The Automatic Statistical Information System (ASIS) is a part of ISCPL and its most important statistical component. The ASIS affords the possibility for the users to select the necessary criminological indicators on the Internet, indicating the territory, institution, period and data periodicity, to reflect the collected data on the computer screen in the form of a table, linear diagram, histogram or map and to transfer the results obtained to their own text documents or to analyze them using the specialized statistical packages. The ASIS accumulates and provides the data of statistical reports received from the General Prosecutor‟s Office, the Prison Department, the National Administration of Courts, the Police Department, the Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, and the Information Technology and Communications Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The ASIS provides total by 43 statistical reports and about 64 000 statistical indicators. It has possibilities to reflect the distribution of statistical indicators in any map, for example Europe Union, etc.
The problems detected:
1. The 64 000 statistical indicators reflected by the ASIS are not enough for criminological analysis due to the content problems of statistical reports. The institutions construct the statistical reports not systematically, substantially in accordance with the needs of their specific services. The reports are not concerted at interinstitutional level and in some cases at institutional level. Therefore, the user usually does not obtain complex data.
2. The statistical report is a limited statistical section, reflecting the selected characteristics of the object. It is necessary to recalculate statistics (to make a new section) to obtain other characteristics of the object. The ASIS cannot do it, because it operates on statistical reports, received from the institutions.
3. The statistical reports are calculated manually and demimanually in many criminal justice institutions. The data is collected in subdivisions of the institution from various registration journals, cases and other sources of information. The collected data is calculated and brought into a file. The files are sent to the central division of the institution, where the data is summed-up. The institutions do not have computerised databases (including all their subdivisions), whose records concern specific persons, incidents, cases, goods, etc. The exception is the Information Technology and Communications Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
4. The existing criminological information systems including all Lithuanian territory do not have handy functions for wide range users to receive information in any available statistical section. The exception is the Information System for Crime Prevention in Lithuania. However, the information in the records of its database does not refer to separate persons, incidents, cases, goods, etc. The records of ISCPL database are the meanings of already calculated statistical indicators. The information system can integrate statistical data, but not differentiate it.
5. On May 1, 2003 the following newly re-approved codes came into effect: the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Penal Code of the Republic of Lithuania. The criminal justice institutions are revising statistical reports, their content, and information systems. The presentation of new criminological statistics falls into disarray due to these reasons.
6. The criminological information systems of Lithuania lack regular victimological survey statistics.
The author concludes that the main directions of development of criminological information systems in Lithuania are:
1. The development of content of statistical reports of criminological attribution. The goal of the development is systematic, complex and optimal statistical data.
2. The preparation of methodology, corresponding the features of the Republic of Lithuania, and regular implementation of victimological surveys.
3. The creation of integrated criminal justice information system. The system must include comprehensive data related to criminal acts – information on incidents, persons, goods, cases, procedural decisions, etc. Collection of the information must start from the registration of an incident and be finished at the end of punishment. All the users of the system must have access to possible statistical data according to their needs.
The Information System for Crime Prevention in Lithuania (ISCPL) is exclusive, the most important criminological information system in Lithuania. Therefore, it is advisable to give a brief statement of its present situation. The ISCPL functions on the Web site of Centre for Crime Prevention in Lithuania (http://www.nplc.lt/english/index.html) in two languages – Lithuanian and English. The Automatic Statistical Information System (ASIS) is a part of ISCPL and its most important statistical component. The ASIS affords the possibility for the users to select the necessary criminological indicators on the Internet, indicating the territory, institution, period and data periodicity, to reflect the collected data on the computer screen in the form of a table, linear diagram, histogram or map and to transfer the results obtained to their own text documents or to analyze them using the specialized statistical packages. The ASIS accumulates and provides the data of statistical reports received from the General Prosecutor‟s Office, the Prison Department, the National Administration of Courts, the Police Department, the Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, and the Information Technology and Communications Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The ASIS provides total by 43 statistical reports and about 64 000 statistical indicators. It has possibilities to reflect the distribution of statistical indicators in any map, for example Europe Union, etc.
The problems detected:
1. The 64 000 statistical indicators reflected by the ASIS are not enough for criminological analysis due to the content problems of statistical reports. The institutions construct the statistical reports not systematically, substantially in accordance with the needs of their specific services. The reports are not concerted at interinstitutional level and in some cases at institutional level. Therefore, the user usually does not obtain complex data.
2. The statistical report is a limited statistical section, reflecting the selected characteristics of the object. It is necessary to recalculate statistics (to make a new section) to obtain other characteristics of the object. The ASIS cannot do it, because it operates on statistical reports, received from the institutions.
3. The statistical reports are calculated manually and demimanually in many criminal justice institutions. The data is collected in subdivisions of the institution from various registration journals, cases and other sources of information. The collected data is calculated and brought into a file. The files are sent to the central division of the institution, where the data is summed-up. The institutions do not have computerised databases (including all their subdivisions), whose records concern specific persons, incidents, cases, goods, etc. The exception is the Information Technology and Communications Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
4. The existing criminological information systems including all Lithuanian territory do not have handy functions for wide range users to receive information in any available statistical section. The exception is the Information System for Crime Prevention in Lithuania. However, the information in the records of its database does not refer to separate persons, incidents, cases, goods, etc. The records of ISCPL database are the meanings of already calculated statistical indicators. The information system can integrate statistical data, but not differentiate it.
5. On May 1, 2003 the following newly re-approved codes came into effect: the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Penal Code of the Republic of Lithuania. The criminal justice institutions are revising statistical reports, their content, and information systems. The presentation of new criminological statistics falls into disarray due to these reasons.
6. The criminological information systems of Lithuania lack regular victimological survey statistics.
The author concludes that the main directions of development of criminological information systems in Lithuania are:
1. The development of content of statistical reports of criminological attribution. The goal of the development is systematic, complex and optimal statistical data.
2. The preparation of methodology, corresponding the features of the Republic of Lithuania, and regular implementation of victimological surveys.
3. The creation of integrated criminal justice information system. The system must include comprehensive data related to criminal acts – information on incidents, persons, goods, cases, procedural decisions, etc. Collection of the information must start from the registration of an incident and be finished at the end of punishment. All the users of the system must have access to possible statistical data according to their needs.
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