Male, middle aged, out of work & maybe drunk: Russian prosecutors reveal profile of country’s typical criminals according to stats

Beware of men in their 30s and 40s, especially if they’ve had a drink! That’s according to new data released by authorities in Russia, showing this demographic was responsible for more offenses in the country than any other.

In a “portrait of social crime” throughout 2020, published by the General Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, the typical characteristics of a lawbreaker were unveiled, based on more than 850,000 documented offenses for which someone was found guilty.

According to the analysis, men were responsible for around 84% of all documented violations last year, with women identified as perpetrators in less than one in five cases. For both sexes, those aged between 30-49 appeared to act out the most, with a number of males especially starting their crime sprees around middle age.

Close to a third of all criminal acts across the country were committed by those with only basic education, but, somewhat surprisingly, those with professional qualifications were responsible for a similar share. The overwhelming majority were Russian citizens, with foreigners making up less than 3% of documented rule breaches.

Those without a permanent source of income were said to be convicted in around seven out of 10 cases, while salaried workers were held accountable for another two in 10.

According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, two million crimes were registered overall in 2020, a 1% increase on the previous year. Analysis published in December revealed the most dangerous cities in the country, with the capital Moscow and second city St. Petersburg featuring. However, the city of Kyzyl, which claims to be the geographical center of Asia, took the top place for its reputation as a murder hotspot.

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