site.bta Survey Shows Decline of Crime Victim Numbers Compared to 2012 Record High

Survey Shows Decline of  Crime Victim Numbers Compared  to 2012 Record High

Sofia, July 30 (BTA) - In spite of the fact that last year the number of crime victims declined in comparison to the record-high levels in 2012, the level of crime remains high, the National Crime Survey (NCS) shows.

The National Crime Survey 2014-2015 was presented Thursday by Tihomir Bezlov, Chief Expert of the Security Programme at the Centre for the Study of Democracy.

A comparison of criminal statistics and the number of victims registered by NCS shows that the decline of their numbers is not as large as Interior Ministry data show, Bezlov said. However, crimes reported to the police last year increased, which is indicative of a certain increase of confidence.

The National Crime Survey (NSC) is a survey of victims of crime, based on the methodology of the International Crime Victims Survey, originally developed by UNICRI (the United Nations Institute on Criminal Justice). CSD and its subsidiary social research company, Vitosha Research, have been conducting the National Crime Survey annually since 2005. The NCS is presented annually as part of the regular meetings of the National Crime Prevention Council. It is the best indicator of the level of various types of crime, Bezlov explained.

After 2012 there is a trend of considerable difference between the data of the national survey regarding the number of victims of crime and those registered by police statistics. There is also a trend of difference between the actual and the officially perpetrated crimes, explained with the existence of the so-called police filters, or the practice not to register some crimes. These filters can be reduced by increasing internal control, inspections of cases reported by citizens, as well as by periodic comparison of NCS data with the officially registered crimes, Bezlov said.

The forum was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova, Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov and the Director of National Police Chief Directorate Hristo Terziiski.