community security in some regions of ukraine

Andrew ChernousovAndrew Chernousov,,PhD in SociologyPhD in Sociology

Kharkiv Institute for Social Researches Kharkiv Institute for Social Researches www.khisr.kharkov.ua

Collecting community members’ opinions; Regular update on moods, expectations, and

fears of the population; Opportunity to apply clear indicators; Opportunity to track the dynamics; Opportunity to build strategy on improving

security, developing action plans and evaluate efficiency;

Opportunity of early warning/

Researching community security capacity

www.khisr.kharkov.ua

The research was made possible due to financial support of UNDP Ukraine Project “Rule of law and justice for

regions suffered of the conflict”


For achieving of set goals we’ve conducted mass

interviewing of 3 000 respondents in three selected Regions/oblasts, involved in the conflict (Luhansk and Donetsk), and also Odesa during December 2015 - January – 2016.

Additionally, we’ve conducted interviewing of 1800 respondents in 6 selected districts/rayons from the conflict zone (Artemivskiy, Chervonoarmiyskiy, Novoaydarskiy, Svativskiy, Stanichno – Luhanskiy and Mariupol City).

The research was conducted by method of personal or face-to-face interview.

Description of the research


To reveal major fears and expectations

of residents in selected areas in the community security;

To get a picture of factors influencing the security in different communities;

To study relations with institutes which are guarantying security and evaluate their efficiency.

Tasks of the research


The sample is 4800 respondents. Among them are: 1000 persons in

Odesa Region, 1000 persons on the governmentally controlled part of Donetsk Region and 1000 persons on the governmentally controlled part of Luhansk Region. 1800 persons were interviewed in a number of districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions. Generally sample representatively covers adult population of regions (older than 16 years).

Sampling is proportional and stratified according to types of settlements in every region — Regional centre (only for Odessa Region), town, settlement, village. According to construction type the sample is combined three – staged. Selection of respondents on the final stage being done according to quotas resembling gender and age proportions of the population of each separate region and each separate type of settlement (city and rural).

Parameters of sample generally cover the model of general population and meet requirements of representation, allowing to distribute conclusions of the research on the population in the interviewed districts (those under government control) of selected regions in the age over 16.

Sampling procedures


Insecurity feeling in day time


Insecurity feeling at night time


The problem of lacking jobs, and especially for Donetsk and Luhansk

Regions (68,1 % in Donetsk and 78,8 % — in Luhansk). Main challenges for Odesa Region are such problems as increased

alcoholism and drug addiction (43,1 %) and increased crime rates (40,5 %).

Donetsk Region has the most distributed difficulties with access to medicines (27,7 %), food and meals (25,3 %) and water (25,1%). Residents of the Region are anxious about the increased alcoholism and drug addiction, but almost in 2 times less than Odesa Region residents — 25,2 %.

In Luhansk Region interviewed people were mostly disturbed by issues of access to medical aid (35,5 %), transportation problems (28,1 %) and electricity supply (27,9 %).

A great number of unemployed males in the conflict region, where people live in the stress situation for already 2 years, had lost a lot in their lives, with open access to alcohol, drugs and weapons – all these factors are continuing to construct the dangerous environment.

Key threats disturbing residents


Crime witnesses for the lat 12 months were

residents of the Donetsk Region — 7,7 % of respondents.

Together with this crime victims number is the highest in the Luhansk Region — 6,4 %, and Donetsk region has only 2,5 %.

Luhansk Region has the biggest number of those whose relatives became crime victims during the last year — 12,4 %. Donetsk Region has 3,1 %, and Odesa Region has 4,9 %.

Stake of those involved in crimes


Residents’ threats


The research showed, that residents of Odesa

Region are mainly afraid of burglary (62,5 %), robbery (45,3 %) and generally to become a victim of any crime (47,4 %).

Generally Donetsk Region inhabitants are afraid to become a victim of any crime (44,1 %).

Besides this, the majority of the population of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions indicated shelling of their settlement (69,0 % і 73,0 % correspondently) and re-escalation of war near them (73,0 % і 78,0 %).

More than others, population of the Luhansk Region are anxious about the problems of electricity supply (74,3 %), and also mines (64,6 %).

Fears of the people


Acknowledging changes in their personal security, the

majority of respondents from Donetsk and Luhansk regions have indicated that situation has improved.

As a result 60,4 % of respondent in Luhansk Region and 61,0 % in Donetsk Region feeling themselves more safe. Obviously, it is connected with de-escalation of the conflict and cessation of hostilities in the regionі.

Different picture is in the Odesa Region. In spite of the fact, that Odesa is far from conflict zone, 48,3% of respondents admitted that during last 12 months the security situation has worsened.

Evaluation of security dynamics


Specific gender /female threats


To become the victim of exploitation

from the side of servicemen, when females are forced to do different to get meals, security and money;

Violence threats in the places of servicemen concentration and alcohol sales.

Specific gender /female threats


Hard to

answerVery easy

Easy enoug

h

Probable but hard

Very hard

Impossible

Odesa 50,5 5,3 3,8 12,4 13,7 14,4

Donetsk 66,7 4,1 12,0 9,6 2,7 4,8

Luhansk 67,9 1,4 4,4 21,1 1,5 3,6

How easy to get weapons in your place?


Odesa

Donetsk

Luhansk

For their own confidence

27,7 26,2 38,4

For own and family protection

80,7 39,3 64,7

For property protection

35,2 21,9 31,1

For probable participation in war hostilities

0,7 10,4 1,1

For sale 2,8 10,6 5,3For committing an offence

15,1 29,6 20,2

For interest, to shoot

6,1 7,3 6,3

Other 1,9 6,6 1,3

Why people want to have their personal weapons?


Odesa Donetsk Luhansk

Police 86,3 73,7 90,0Relatives, friends 26,3 36,7 30,6Neighbors 7,4 6,4 5,9Army 0,8 11,8 4,0Lawyer 5,3 5,4 4,1NGOs, volunteers 1,0 2,0 0,7Media 1,9 0,7 0,7Municipalities 13,1 3,1 5,1Security Service of Ukraine 1,5 1,1 1,0Prosecutor Office 7,6 1,8 1,5International organizations 0,9 0,3 0I won’t report at all 6,1 7,1 3,2Other 1,2 2,4 1,3

Where to report in case of crime?


How often residents of your place are personally involved in maintaining

security?


Odesa Donetsk LuhanskPolice 77,9 74,8 83,0Residents 44,1 23,9 44,1Army 1,2 21,6 20,2Municipality 24,3 26,4 28,4Security Service of Ukraine

3,3 4,8 6,5

Prosecutor Office 2,9 1,7 1,4International organizations (UN, OSCE)

0,4 1,3 2,0

Emergency Service 10,2 4,6 15,4Civil protection service

2,8 0,5 0,1

Church 0,5 0,1 0,2

Other 1,0 13,5 1,4

Who is responsible for security and people protection in your place ?


The level of readiness to assist to

representatives of authorities and volunteers in the case of emergency is the lowest in the Donetsk Region and the highest in the Odesa Region

Generally, the biggest number of respondents are ready to assist to local municipal authorities, and the smallest — to law enforcement and judiciary.

Level of readiness to be involved in establishing of safer environment


Low confidence level of the population and fears of law

enforcers. The survey showed, that police is trusted by что в 31,4 % of the population and not trusted by 47,8%. The rest of the population has not identified their position, which is not excluding them from the assistants list potentially. Much worse situation is with prosecutor office, which is being trusted only by 12, 2%, and mistrusted by 51,0% in Donetsk Region. The similar situation was revealed in Luhansk Region, where police is trusted only by 18,9% of respondents, and mistrusted by 62,8%; prosecutor office is trusted by 9,5%, and mistrusted by 59,0 %.

The part of respondents are afraid of law – enforcement agencies and afraid to become victims of unlawful allegations from their side crime. Among them are 21,3% in Donetsk Region and 18,2% in Luhansk Region. Phisical violence from law enforcers sides are afraid 19,2 % in Donetsk and 36,9% in Luhansk Regions.

Reasons against assistance


The second determinant is the lack of programs on the part

of law enforcement agencies aimed at involving people in security provision. Local law enforcement officers habitually rely on their own strength, do not see the task of interaction with the public, do not see people as a customer of their services. All law enforcement agencies are extremely centralized - their planning, appointments come from Kiev, is not conducive to integration of the priorities of the local community. Evaluation of law enforcement also includes the opinion survey of the community, as well as before based on the indicators. It should also be noted that the leadership of law enforcement bodies, is often not the representatives of the local community, and came from a different region for its intended purpose.

Reasons against assistance


Hugest shortcomings of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donetsk Region


Найбільші недоліки ЗСУ в населених пунктах Луганської області



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community security in some regions of ukraine

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