Security, Negative Phenomena

Another question on the prision system topic, posed in march 2008 CVVM survey concern on the causes of crime. As a major factors influencing criminal behavior were chosen tendency to agressive behavior (82 % mark it as a „fundamental“ or „important“) and reluctance to work (81 %). Followed by mental disorder (40 %), race and nationality (30 %) and exaggerated ambitions (30 %). Another possibilities was low education (26 %), region (19 %), low parent‘s education (17 %), lack of talent (14 %), to be from poor familly (13 %), being agnostic (13 %), and gender (10 %).

In march 2008 CVVM focused on prision system. Informants were asked to decide which facilities should be availiable for prisioners. People are willing to allow medical service (95 % agree on that it should be availiable for all prisioners), 92 % have the same opinion on clean clothes, 83 % agree on books for all (additional 14 % only for minor offenses) and 72 % thought that cooked meal should be accessible for each prisioner (18 % minor offenses).

Two thirds of Czech citizens feel safe in the Czech Republic and more than three quarters feel safe at the place they live. 55 % of people are satisfied with Police care of Public order and citizens' safety at place they live, on contrary 39 % are dissatisfied with it. Police activity in the whole Czech Republic was positively evaluated by 40 % of Czech citizens and 54 % expressed their dissatisfaction with it.

Public support for the death penalty was expressed by 57 % of Czech citizens, on contrary 3 out of 10 people are against the death penalty (30 %). Existence of capital punishment is relatively highly supported by men, people without religious faith and followers of Communist party of Czech and Moravia (KSČM) or Czech social democratic party (ČSSD). On the other side existence of the death penalty is less supported by young people (under 30 years), graduates, Roman Catholics and followers of Christian democratic union (KDU-ČSL).

In October survey CVVM questioned the respondents, how satisfied they are with the way the police look after the order and safety of citizens in their neighbourhood, 55 % of respondents are satisfied and 40 % dissatisfied. Simultaneously, 41 % of them are satisfied with the way the police look after the order and safety of citizens in Czech Republic and 55 % dissatisfied. Respondents were also asked to rate judicial verdicts.

In April survey CVVM interogated respondents with question„ Tell us, please, which of following institutions and areas of public life are mostly affected by corruption ?“ Mark it as at school, 1 means no corruption, 5 means high corruption.

Political Parties were supposed to be heavily affected by corruption, they were evaluated with mark 4 on average. Areas ,that were evaluated quite favourably - on average under mark 3, were Army (2,90), masmedia (2,81), system of education (2,61).

In CVVM survey more than two thirds of czech citizens spoke up for existence of Death penalty, while only a quarter of citizens (27%) is against it. Most pensioners and people who do not confess any religion or church, skilled workpeople, ČSSD and KSČM followers support existence of Death penalty. The existence of Denalty penalty is less supported by students, university graduetes, churchpeople,ODS or KDU-ČSL followers.

45% of citizens fear of possible teroristic attack on Czech Republic. Women (50%) are afraid of teroristic attack more than men (38%). More than three fifths of respondents expressed their opinion that intelligence services competencies should be strenghten, when almost a quarter of respondents is against it. People , who do not definitely trust in BIS and people who do not fear of teroristic attack, are often against strenghtening of power of secret service.

In its regular March survey, the Public Opinion Research Centre concentrated among other things on the opinions of citizens regarding the length of sentences for some selected criminal acts, moreover on views about at which degree sentences imposed by courts are adequate and last but not least the question of if capital punishment should exist or not. We consider sentences imposed by court to be more likely inadequate, particularly in the case of violent criminal activities.

What is the picture of crime structure in the eyes of the Czech public? Does it correspond to reality, or is it distorted by the influence of media news or personal experience? And what is the notion of the success rate of the police when investigating some criminal acts? Is it rather underestimated or on the contrary overestimated by the public? These are some of the issues dealt with by the March survey, carried out by Public Opinion Research Centre.