CRIME IN LITHUANIA
During the last few years violent crime ratio in Lithuania has vastly increased. The major concerns for young people in Lithuania are identified as unemployment and job security. Youth unemployment is becoming a key issue. The job situation is difficult both for highly skilled, educated youth and for those who do not have even vocational training, what causes people to fall into the crime’s swale. Children and young people constituted the biggest proportion not only of the perpetrators of crime but also its victims. In 2000, more than 1,000 juveniles where imprisoned in Lithuania. In Lithuania, the excessive application of prison sentences to juveniles is mostly preconditioned by legal and administrative factors rather than by any increase in juvenile crime or its patterns. It is encouraging, therefore, that different alternatives to imprisonment are being considered at the moment in the context of the reform of Juvenile Justice. For example, if a foreigner comes to Lithuania, he shouldn’t forget to be more wary, because crimes against foreigners, while usually non-violent, are becoming more common. Pickpocketing and theft are problems, so personal belongings should be well protected at all times. Thefts from cars, carjackings, and theft from cars are increasingly commonplace. In my opinion, there are several solutions to the problem.
. Crime is not a problem that can be addressed by individuals, but by ruling governments,so firstly, an effective solution is to recommended the Lithuanian government to take additional measures to prevent, investigate and prosecute all cases of violent crime. Persons violating Lithuanian law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Lithuania are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.