Smurto prieš priklausomus asmenis kriminologinė charakteristika

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to define the concept of violence against dependent people, analyse its causes and present the possibilities of its prevention. The paper analyses the socio-psychological causes of such violence and reasons for a specific violent behaviour. The target group is not all the dependent people, but, from the point of view of the author, the most vulnerable ones – elders and handicapped children. The chosen problem is being analyzed not only from the theoretical perspective. In order to define the spread of such violence in Lithuania, there was a necessity to conduct a survey of public opinion. The participants of the survey were elderly people, handicapped children, social workers and police officers – one hundred of each. The paper analyses the results of this survey and presents the comparison of reasons for such violence against elders and handicapped children. After the analysis of violence’s spread in Lithuania is conducted, the paper discusses the possibilities of its prevention and possible recommendations.