The article analyses the dynamics of domestic violence in the city of Klaipėda during the period from 2010 to 2020. The analysis of reported cases of violence is intended to reveal the functioning reality of the Republic of Lithuania’s Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LPADV) adopted in 2011, and to evaluate the fact that violence, as a conditionally marginalised phenomenon for a long time, is raised to the level of an actual social problem. In evaluating the dynamics of this phenomenon over the ten-year period, the authors reject the hypothesis that cultural traditions of violence have changed over the years. During the period analysed, domestic violence has established itself as one of the most widespread violent crimes in Lithuania, overshadowing other forms of violence. The article introduces four indicators of sociological assessment, which consist of the abuser’s family situation, gender, recurrent criminality, and associations between age cohorts, in a focused manner, which reveals the social effects of the adoption of the law, demonstrating ‘the disclosure’ of the known but deliberately ‘overlooked’ reality by the LPADV. The analysis of segments of violence presented in the article suggests the development of specific measures for the prevention of domestic violence and programme strategies, because not only is the legal regulation of domestic violence significant, but so is the identification of target groups that go beyond popular stereotypes of this phenomenon.

Straipsnyje aptariamos nepilnamečių nusikaltimų mažėjimo tendencijoms Klaipėdoje 1995-2019 metų laikotarpyje. Klaipėdos miestas pasirinktas kaip empirinė iliustracija, leidžianti ne tik sufokusuotai parodyti socialinį reiškinį, bet ir identifikuoti galimas platesnės interpretacijos ar priežastinio aiškinimo kryptis. Straipsnio autoriai jau yra pristatę sociologinę Klaipėdos miesto tapatybių rekonstrukciją 1990-2010 metų laikotarpyje*, todėl šiame straipsnyje jaunimo nusikalstamumo Klaipėdos mieste dinamika, naujai įvertinant statistines, sociologines ir ypač teisines prieigas, gali būti traktuojama kaip nepilnamečių nusikalstamumo fenomeno Klaipėdoje analizės tęstinumas. Įvertinant nepilnamečių nusikalstamumą socialinės problemos kontekste, autoriai teisinius pokyčius nepilnamečių justicijos srityje ir nepilnamečių justicijos programas vertina kaip galimas nepilnamečių nusikalstamumo mažėjimo prielaidas. Tačiau straipsnio išvados ir diskusija, grindžiama 4 hipotetinėmis nepilnamečių nusikalstamumo mažėjimo prielaidomis (nepilnamečių delinkvencijai įtakos turi asmens biologinis ir socialinis brendimo procesas; absoliučiai priešinga hipotezė -pasibaigus brendimo procesui nutrūksta ir delinkventinio elgesio apraiškos; nepilnamečių nusikalstamumo sąsajos su socialiai silpnomis šeimomis; grįžimas prie K. Mannheimo idėjos apie visuomenės elito ir jaunuomenės sandorį), provokuoja tyrimų jaunimo nusikalstamumo srityje tęstinumą. PAGRINDINIAI ŽODŽIAI: nepilnamečių nusikalstamumas, nusikalstamumo dinamika, nepilnamečių justicijos reformos, nepilnamečių justicijos programos

The article explores the dynamics of domestic violence in the city of Klaipėda over the period 2010 to 2014, with the aim of demonstrating how the Republic of Lithuania’s Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LOPADV), passed in 2011, raised a relatively marginalised phenomenon to the level of a relevant social problem. The statistical data presented in the article call for a detailed analysis of the dynamics of the phenomenon in order to identify the social and legal causes of changes in domestic violence, and to anticipate prerequisites for strategies related to the safety of the victims of violence and the prevention of violence. The article analyses cases of violence registered with Klaipėda city’s Chief Police Commissariat, in an attempt to evaluate the social profile of domestic violence, and to highlight the essential characteristics of perpetrators and victims. By transcending the rather narrow boundaries of the psychological treatment of this phenomenon, an attempt is made to identify the most important empirical characteristics that would lead in the long run to an opportunity for the sociological interpretation of the phenomenon.

The article looks into expression of the phenomenon of volunteering in a society, with the focus on the features of voluntary activities in a non-governmental organization (hereinafter-NGO) that provides social services. The article reveals the origins of the NGO and volunteering, discusses the content of NGO activities in the context of social policy. The role of the NGO is analysed with regards to laws of the Republic of Lithuania and the assessment of the changes in legal regulation in the field of voluntary activity is given. The focus on the interconnection between volunteering, social work activities and the activities provided by an NGO allows to model the strategies of how to deal with various social problems with reference to the reduction of social exclusion and strengthening of social community by preparing social workers. Legal regulation of volunteering activities imposes the preconditions for professionalization of NGO activities and more effective implementation of social policy.

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