Prague, Aug 22 (CTK) – The number of children among crime victims increased in the Czech Republic in the first half of this year, while the number of senior victims decreased, Police Presidium spokeswoman Ivana Nguyenova has announced on the website.
A total of 2433 people aged over 60 years fell victim to crimes in the first half of 2015, which is about 130 fewer than during the same time last year.
The number of underage crime victims amounted to 1499, which is almost 180 more than last year.
However, the number of both child and senior murders and maltreatment cases has risen since 2014.
“The victims in both categories are very vulnerable,” Nguyenova pointed out.
More than 300 detectives focus directly on the protection of children and the elderly in the Czech Republic, she added.
In the first half of 2015, the police started investigating 18 murders of seniors, almost 190 cases of intentional bodily harm caused to them, 140 cases of dangerous menace to them and almost 50 cases of maltreating an elderly person living in a joint household. The number of all these types of crimes has increased.
In the case of children, the number of murders and dangerous menace has increased, along with the cases of sexual abuse and corrupting the morals of children and youth.
On the other hand, children and youth under 18 fell victim to rape and intentional bodily harm less often in 2015 than the year before.
The number of theft victims among the underage and elderly over 60 has also decreased.
The police investigation into crimes committed on the elderly is complicated by the fact that they are often not able to describe the perpetrators and the case in detail and the perpetrators also succeed in winning their trust, Nguyenova said.
The police use special rooms for the questioning of children to create an informal and pleasant environment for them. There are more than 50 such rooms in the Czech Republic and others are being built, she added.
