What is being done to prevent crimes by and against minors in Georgia?

The Georgian Interior Ministry has held a meeting with members of international organisations, NGOs and state agencies earlier today to speak about crimes committed against and by minors.

Deputy Interior Minister Natia Mezvrishvili told the audience that in order to prevent crimes by or against minors:

• Hundreds of employees of the Interior Ministry have been re-trained.
• A dedicated group of investigators will handle crimes committed against minors.
• A Witness and Victim Coordination Agency was created to provide psychological assistance for individuals involved in such crimes.
• A special space was arranged in the town of Rustavi, near Tbilisi, for the interrogation of minors.
• Several information meetings were held with children in risk groups.
• A bill was drafted and presented to the government which provides tougher punishment for crimes against minors.
• Criminal cases involving minors are being monitored by the ministry’s Human Rights and the Investigation Quality Monitoring Department.
• A database of people convicted for crimes against minors has been created and the individuals will be under permanent monitoring.
• The ministry says that further efforts will be provided to identify the children living and working on the streets and to reveal the crimes committed against them.

Safety officers will be actively involved in the raise of the awareness campaign regarding the crimes involving minors and for the identification of the children with antisocial behavior,” Mezvrishvili said.

Paedophiles may be punished with life sentence, a bill drafted by the Interior Ministry reads.

The Interior Ministry says that in 2018:

• 42% of the crimes committed against minors was family violence.
• 22%-crimes against health.
• 13%-violation of traffic safety rules.
• 12%- sexual violence.
• 10%-crimes against property.

The main problem in this regard was that victims, their families or those individuals having information refrained from the contact with law enforcement agencies,” Mezvrishvili said.

As for the crimes committed by minors (aged 14-18):

• 78% of the crimes were against property.
• 11%-crimes against health.
• 2%-drug-related crimes.
• 2%-transport-related crimes.
• 6%-other crimes.

The ministry says that further steps should be taken in terms of closer cooperation between different state agencies to prevent crimes involving minors.

The meeting today was held with the support of the EU in Georgia and UNICEF, with their heads in the county attending the event.