Security, Negative Phenomena

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.

Currently, 38% of respondents are satisfied and 21 % dissatisfied with the way the police look after the order and safety of citizens in their neighbourhood. Another 38% are “neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied” with the activities of the police. Moreover, the research concentrated on how safe citizens felt in their neighbourhoods and inside their homes. The performed survey has shown that the feeling of safety in one’s own home has changed only relatively little in the course of the last five years: most citizens feel safe during the day, even after dark; however the feeling grows weaker after dusk.

In all the monitored countries (CZ, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania) supporters of capital punishment have a quite significant majority. On a relative basis, the highest number of them is in Romania (79%), on the other hand in Lithuania there is the smallest group of capital punishment opponents (15%). Slightly lower numbers of capital punishment supporters were recorded in Poland (74%) and Lithuania (73%).

The experience of having a car broken into has been acquired by 17% of respondents or other members of the household within the last 12 months. Thefts up to the value of CZK 3,000 (16 %) are also quite common. Approximately every tenth respondent disclosed that a bribe had been demanded from him or another member of the household (11 %), the sum of items of a value exceeding CZK 3,000 (10 %) had been stolen from him, or his cottage or chalet had been burgled (9 %).