Social security and crime in contemporary society: problems, instruments, trends in the context of Ukraine

Abstract

The authors follow structural functionalism and neofunctionalism as dominant methodology for interpretation of social security as a social institution (mechanism) controlling homeostasis and sustainability of the social system (society). Social security in the contemporary society is a very complex, ambiguous matter. It is a synthetic, integrative unlike many other types of security, since it accumulates, on the one hand, partial processes, relevant data and at the same time allows to focus on the main directions of search. Because of the plural problems (challenges, threats, dangers, etc.) the paper leaves for analysis only those that threaten stability and sustainable development of society (in Ukraine and in developed European states) as such. Crime is one of such problems. The authors stressed the importance of trust in the public and social institutions fighting crime, presenting and analyzing relevant data. The analysis of problems related to counteraction to crime is provided by authors in the context of reforms in Ukrainian society, is compared with EU neighboring states’ realities, based on statistical data as well as on the results of public opinion polls.