Last year, the most common crimes were petty thefts and driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances, reported Prosecutor General Armin Meisters at a meeting of the Saeima Defense, Internal Affairs, and Corruption Prevention Commission, presenting the prosecutor's office report for last year and priorities for this year, LETA writes.
The number of petty theft cases last year was 2,765, which is 276 cases more than the previous year. In turn, the number of cases of driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances decreased by 57 compared to 2024.
These types of crimes make up more than half of all criminal proceedings under the jurisdiction of the prosecutor's office, noted Meisters.
Meisters emphasized that these figures characterize the situation in society and the attitude towards compliance with the law. According to him, this can be explained by a certain nihilism or protest against established restrictions.
Meisters noted that after the criminalization of driving under the influence and the introduction of vehicle confiscation, the indicators have not changed significantly. Most of these cases are handled by the prosecutor's office; however, they are increasingly being transferred to court, as defendants do not agree with the confiscation of the vehicle.
He pointed out that in such cases, the criminal process cannot be completed in a simplified manner, and the cases are referred to court for consideration.
Meisters expressed support for the idea of considering such cases within a few days, as otherwise the case transitions to the general procedure, which requires additional procedural actions.
Meisters emphasized that the police, even with limited resources, continue to stop drivers under the influence, but punishment does not always deter people from committing such offenses.
Saeima deputy Janis Dombrava noted during the discussion that the laws do not provide for punishment in the form of compulsory treatment and expressed the opinion that repeated driving under the influence may be associated with serious addiction problems that should be addressed in medical institutions.
Meisters indicated that such a decision would be political. Currently, the degree of alcohol dependence is assessed within the framework of judicial expertise; however, the application of compulsory medical measures is only possible in certain cases.
He added that the most effective solutions at the moment are related to programs and supervision methods implemented by the State Probation Service, aimed at changing the behavior of offenders and reducing the risk of reoffending.
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