In Irkutsk region, crime and prevention measures were discussed. A roundtable cited a notable decline in registered crimes in recent years. Participants also noted higher clearance rates, less street, repeat and juvenile crime, and stronger efforts against corruption, gangs and drug trafficking. According to Yuri Dynkin, police can now control the situation and improve it.

By initiative of the Commission on Lawfulness, Human Rights, and Public Oversight of the Activities of Law Enforcement Agencies and the Armed Forces of the Public Chamber of the Irkutsk Region, a round table discussion was held on “The State of Crime in the Irkutsk Region and Measures to Prevent It.”
The following figures were announced at the meeting by Deputy Head of the Internal Affairs Directorate, Police Colonel Yuri Dynkin.
Over the past years, the number of registered crimes has decreased by 16.5 percent: from 36,825 in 2004 to 30,749 in 2008.
The share of serious and especially serious crimes accounts for 30.5 percent of the total number registered.
The crime clearance rate over the past five years has increased from 36,000 in 2004 to 48,500 in 2008.
Over five years, the activities of 42 gangs and 11 criminal groups were suppressed, and 2,300 crimes committed by them were solved.
Police officers managed to uncover about one and a half thousand crimes committed against state authority. 617 criminal cases against corrupt officials were sent to the courts. The number of annually detected bribery cases has increased by one third since 2004—from 66 cases to 93.
Street crime has decreased from 13.1 percent in 2005 to 10.5 percent in the current year.
Repeat offending: in 2004, 36 percent of crimes were committed by previously convicted persons; in 2008, this figure was 22.7 percent.
Five years ago, every fourth crime was committed while intoxicated; today this figure is 15 percent of the total number.
In 2004, more than 4,000 crimes, or one in ten, were committed by minors; today the number of such crimes has fallen to 6.2 percent.
Over five years, the detection rate of illegal drug trafficking has increased by 22 percent.
Concluding his speech, Y. Ts. Dynkin noted that the police are now able to control the operational situation and can also change it for the better.