Prisons remain overcrowded while crime plateaus

Prague, July 24 (CTK) - Crime is not on the rise in the Czech Republic in the long run, but Czech prisons are getting more and more overcrowded, the Supreme State Attorney's Office writes in its annual report that the government will be discussing on Wednesday.

Some new laws and planned bills have tried to give more space to alternative punishment, such as home confinement and community work, and earlier releases from prisons, however, some other cases that were considered offences have become crimes under new legislation at the same time.

According to the Supreme State Attorney's Office, a high portion of repeat criminals among inmates is one of the key reasons why prisons are full.

About 3000 men are serving prison sentences for not paying alimony, according to earlier information. In 2011, almost 13,000 persons were tried in court over not paying alimony, the report says.

The Justice Ministry proposed some time ago that people who do not pay alimony should be stripped of their driving licence instead of being sent behind bars.

The report notes that property crimes are the most frequent in the country, same as before.

Perpetrators of violent crimes tend to be more aggressive and brutal and the number of drug crimes is gradually growing, the report says.

Among economic crimes, cases of harming EU financial interests, especially in connection with misuse of EU subsidies, have recently been registered more often.

The Supreme State Attorney's Office concluded that the police do not actively uncover crime cases due to problems related to the lowering numbers of police officers, departures of experienced policemen and changes in police structure.