Citizen Security Research Articles

Vaccination as an element of health security management - analysis of factors of patient attitudes towards COVID-19 preventive vaccinations based on the opinions of healthcare experts

Background: Preventive vaccinations play a significant role in reducing the spread of infectious diseases. They mitigate the course of infectious diseases and limit the occurrence thereof. Thus, they allow maintaining the health security of citizens and are one of the activities that allow for effective population health management. However, even though vaccinations bring significant benefits to the population as a whole, the attitudes of individuals to them raise a number of controversies. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the characteristics and factors of patient attitudes towards COVID-19 preventive vaccinations based on the opinions of healthcare experts. The study was carried out in the framework of a project "The interdependence of lifestyle and attitudes towards COVID-19 preventive vaccinations", which finished in June 2023. Method: The research method was an in-depth telephone interview with experts who had previously studied the research problem and the results of quantitative research, and expressed individual opinions on the factors of patient attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccinations. The experts indicated various factors which, in their opinion, can influence patient willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In the research process, four main factors were found: patient social environment and patient experience; patient knowledge and awareness, social impact (message of medical authorities and political decision makers), balance of benefits and risks. Results: The results obtained in the study and the conclusions drawn show the need for further, in-depth research in patient attitudes towards preventive vaccinations, not only COVID-19 vaccinations.

A State of Emergency as a Protection of the Constitutional System of the State, the Security of Citizens and Public Order

A State of Emergency as a Protection of the Constitutional System of the State, the Security of Citizens and Public Order

Using Big Data Analytics to Identify Trends and Group Crimes through Clustering

The incidence of crime in a city presents a challenge in the absence of trend analysis that impacts citizen security. The objective of this research was to analyze and visualize crime trends in the area, using the concepts and fundamentals of Big Data Analytics, Data Mining and Clustering, the problem is addressed with a quantitative approach, using the CRISP-DM process, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the K-Means algorithm for clustering. Validation is performed with the Elbow Score and the Average Silhouette method, ensuring the robustness of the data clustering. The results show that crimes against property, such as robbery and theft, are the most frequent. Four crime clusters are identified, each associated with a specific category, providing a detailed view of crime distribution. Comparison with previous studies highlights the effectiveness of Big Data technologies in reducing crime, providing a solid basis for more accurate security strategies.

The pension system of Kazakhstan: savings analysis, review of investment portfolio and prospects for profitability increase

The article considers the pension system of the Republic of Kazakhstan as the most important element of the system of social protection of the population and a major investment player in the market, which is responsible for the safety of pension savings of the population. Consequently, it is necessary to constantly monitor the quality of pension provision and financial sustainability of the pension system in order to ensure the adequacy of pension payments to maintain a decent standard of living for pensioners, taking into account the inflation rate in the country. Thus, it is necessary to carefully assess the possible consequences of investment decisions in order to prevent the depreciation of pension system participants' savings. The pension system is an important element for ensuring the stability of the country's population. It forms the foundation of social security for citizens, creating financial security for them during the period of disability or retirement. Due to demographic changes in the country, the pension system is being reformed, which in turn affects financial stability in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The article presents a number of key roles and functions within the pension system, analyzes the volume of pension savings and the number of individual pension accounts in the cities of national importance, presents the structure of the investment portfolio of the PAs of the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (UAPF), which are under the trust management of the NBRK, in the context of financial instruments. Proposals on how to increase investment income have been developed.

Increasing intergovernmental coordination to fight crime: evidence from Mexico

Abstract Latin America is the most violent region in the world, with many countries also suffering from high levels of criminality and the presence of powerful criminal organizations. Identifying government responses that improve citizen security is imperative. Existing research argues that improving intergovernmental coordination helps the state combat criminality, but has limited its analysis to political factors that affect coordination. I study the impact of increasing intergovernmental coordination between law enforcement agencies. Using the generalized synthetic control method, original data on the staggered implementation of a police reform that increased intergovernmental police coordination and detailed data on criminal organizations and criminality in Guanajuato, Mexico, I find that the reform weakened criminal organizations and reduced violent crime, but increased violence.

La criminalidad organizada y su repercusión en la sociedad peruana

The present study was based on the need to know the impact that organized crime has generated in Peruvian society and to highlight the shortcomings of state actions and the need for more effective measures. The objective was to determine how organized crime affects or has repercussions on Peruvian society, using a qualitative approach methodology, so the results were obtained that organized crime affects the security of citizens, generates social exclusion, weakens the State and produces fear in different areas of society.

The Rise of Partisan CSR: Corporate Responses to the Russia–Ukraine War

AbstractThe Russia–Ukraine war has challenged our understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Whereas CSR is traditionally associated with business self-regulation that benefits business and society, the conflict has revealed new forms of what we call “partisan CSR.” Based on comprehensive data from Fortune Global 500 firms, this study discovers that in particular Western, but also some non-Western, corporations have engaged in partisan CSR activities, ranging from (1) strengthening Ukraine’s economy, to (2) enhancing security and protection for Ukrainian citizens, (3) providing military support, (4) weakening Russia’s economy, and (5) supporting Ukraine in symbolic ways. By comparison, several mostly non-Western firms, e.g. from Asian countries, have chosen to be “neutral”, while, in some cases, exploiting economic opportunities arising from the conflict. This study also discusses major drivers of these CSR responses, including political climate, resource availability and economic dependency, isomorphism, and regulatory requirements. Our findings suggest a shift from political CSR to partisan CSR, which we expect to become more important with growing geopolitical divides and territorial conflicts.

Economic crimes as a threat to Russia's socio-economic security

The security of the State, society and the individual is a fundamental task in ensuring the stability and prosperity of the country. This task implies the definition of rules and norms in relation to various social groups that correspond to the current institutional environment in Russia. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of economic crimes on the social security of citizens of the Russian Federation and ensuring economic growth in the country.To reveal the research topic, the paper considers the main basic indicators of Russia's socio-economic security. The methodological basis is general scientific methods: analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, ranking, etc. The main causes of the emergence and spread of economic crimes are presented in a systematic way. A retrospective analysis of economic crimes was carried out, and a trend line was drawn up. Using the ranking method, a rating of the leading regions in terms of socio-economic development was formed. It has been revealed that the scale of the spread of economic crimes has a fairly strong correlation with the institutional characteristics of the regions. The methods of combating economic offenses through the use of information technology are proposed.

The value of national defense: Assessing public preferences for defense policy options

Defense spending accounts for a large share of the budget in many countries, but the value of the resulting public good – national defense – has so far escaped assessment. Much of the literature has instead considered indirect benefits of defense spending in terms of greater economic growth or technological spillovers. In this paper, we assess the direct welfare effects of defense policy, namely an increase in the security of citizens, by means of a survey-based discrete choice experiment. Drawing on a representative sample of the German population, results suggest substantial willingness to pay for an increase in troop numbers, the establishment of a European army and an improved air defense system. The reintroduction of compulsory military service does not enjoy public support. Results further indicate substantial preference heterogeneity across respondents and policy options which we explore. As such, these findings demonstrate how methods of survey-based, non-market valuation can help to refine research in this area of public policy.

Современные тенденции и направления развития овощеводства в целях обеспечения продовольственной безопасности страны

Abstract. The relevance and necessity of ensuring food security and independence of the Russian Federation in modern geopolitical and foreign economic conditions is beyond doubt. The purpose of the study is to analyze the trends in the development of the vegetable growing sector in Russia, to assess its contribution to the process of ensuring the country's food security and accessibility for citizens of all food products necessary for an active and healthy lifestyle. Research methods: to achieve the set research goal, general scientific methods of systematic, logical and comparative analysis, analytical generalizations and systematization, economic and statistical and expert assessments were used. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the development of practical recommendations for improving agricultural policy in the field of effective management and functioning of the vegetable growing sector of the agro-industrial complex of Russia. Results. The key conclusion of the study: increasing nutrition culture encourages producers to expand the range and assortment of vegetable crops, the current favorable market situation in the domestic market, plus the large export potential of the industry and state interest in ensuring food security of the country give Russian farmers a good chance for successful development.

The evolving developmental role of the state as public trustee of South Africa's natural resources and property

Through its environmental laws and policies, the state needs to ensure the ecologically sustainable development and use of South Africa's natural resources, while promoting justifiable economic and social development. Thus, the view that property owners may not use their property in ways that prejudice the community and other peoples' interests in environmental resources must be considered. This corresponds with the acknowledged stance that property, in its widest sense, has a "public or civic or proprietary" aspect to it that transcends individual economic interests, and that private property ownership should be inherently limited for the benefit of society at large. Property is, therefore, intimately bound up with the socio-economic security and well-being of all South African citizens. Since a developmental state actively guides economic development and the use of the country's resources to meet the needs of the people, the developmental role of the state should serve the public interest. In South Africa, though, the public function of property is frequently usurped by the government's developmental-state ambitions and influenced by political and economic considerations that affect the socio-economic fabric of the country. The South African government, as public trustee of the nation's natural resources, must regulate access to and use of natural resources by exercising its stewardship ethic. However, this is not always the case when it comes to critical resources like water and land - a situation that perpetuates the historically imbalanced distribution of wealth in South Africa.

Formation and development of the militia: historical and legal analysis

The historical aspects of the formation and development of militia in Ukraine are studied, with special attention paid to its role during the revolutionary events and the civil war. The state of law and order in the Ukrainian lands in the late 19th – early 20th centuries, key legal aspects of the formation and initial stage of the militia functioning are analysed, and a scientific assessment of its activities in the context of complex revolutionary challenges is provided. The creation and development of the Soviet militia was a complex and ambiguous process, so the challenges faced by the newly formed militia during the revolutionary period are analysed. The historical factors that contributed to the creation and development of the militia, its transformation over time, and the formation of the modern police are studied. Historical experience shows that the establishment of the Soviet militia depended on many factors, namely: the gradual formation of tasks, powers and functions of the militia, the definition of the regulatory framework for its activities, the organisation of the system of administrative apparatus, coordination of efforts at the local and central levels, the resolution of personnel issues, etc. The necessity of studying the historical processes of formation of the modern police, its institutional origins in the context of the State development is emphasised, and the crucial role of the police in maintaining the rule of law, public order and security of citizens of modern Ukraine is noted. The study of historical factual material contributes to a better understanding of the evolution, nature and role of state institutions designed to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and solve other tasks in the field of national security and law enforcement in response to the needs of society, offering ideas for future effective strategies based on historical experience and current challenges.

Ensuring the functioning of society in activities of local governments under the legal regime of martial law

The scientific article is devoted to the study of the activities of local self-government bodies during the period of martial law in ensuring the functioning of society, characterization of the concept, competence and features of local self-government bodies, and types of local selfgovernment bodies. The article examines the scientific and regulatory approaches to defining the most important functions of local authorities, in particular, ensuring the constitutional rights and security of citizens. Local self-government during the period of martial law faces many challenges on a daily basis. That is why this topic is extremely relevant and requires scientific substantiation and research. The decentralization reform has laid the foundation for the activities of competent local governments. However, the unjustified military aggression has changed the usual rhythm of work of regional and district councils, as well as local authorities. The peculiarity of this legal regime is the creation of temporary state bodies, including military authorities. They operate in parallel with autonomous local governments. However, there are cases when the military administration can assume the powers of local self-government bodies if the local council does not meet on time. Local self-government in Ukraine is a right guaranteed and enforced by the state and a territorial community – a voluntary association of residents of a village, villages or several villages, cities – to address local issues within the limits determined by the current legislation, may be formed independently or subordinated to officials and self-government bodies. Local self-government is designed to strengthen the foundations of the constitutional order of Ukraine, ensure the implementation of constitutional principles, human and civil rights, create conditions for meeting the vital needs and legitimate interests of citizens, and develop local democracy. During the legal regime of martial law, military authorities exercise the powers of local state authorities and part of local self-government bodies, as defined by the current legislation. Therefore, the role of local state authorities and local self-government bodies in ensuring the quality functioning of society is very important.

ORGANISATIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF INTERACTION BETWEEN LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES AND THE POLICE UNDER MARTIAL LAW

The article examines the organisational and legal framework for implementing certain projects of interaction between local self-government bodies and the police under martial law, and identifies the specifics of their financial support. The purpose of the study is to identify promising projects of cooperation between local self-government bodies and the police and other authorities in creating a secure environment and the means of their organisational and economic support. The objectives of the research are to clarify the legal basis and forms of cooperation between local self-government (LSG) bodies and the police in the area of ensuring the vital activity of the region; to identify promising projects of cooperation between local self-government bodies and the police and other bodies in creating a secure environment that have been implemented and are planned for implementation and ways to finance them. The methodological basis of the paper is the dialectical method, the application of which allowed to comprehensively reveal the nature of forms and methods of interaction between local self-government bodies and the police. The study established that the interaction of the National Police of Ukraine with other public security entities during the anti-terrorist operation should be understood as an activity based on legislative and by-law regulations and coordinated in terms of objectives, time and place of conduct between entities directly involved in the fight against terrorism, arising from the organisational activities of specially created coordination bodies, and other equal and independent state bodies, local self-government bodies and the public with the aim of their coordinated functioning to protect the rights, freedoms and security of citizens, prevent and suppress terrorist acts and other offences through the most appropriate combination of forms and methods inherent in these subjects. It is found that, taking into account the analysis of positive foreign experience, it is advisable to develop a model programme of interaction of local self-government bodies at the regional level with the police and other authorities to create a secure environment in Ukraine, which should define: the legal basis for interaction; areas of interaction; forms, means and methods of interaction; and the procedure for joint financing of security programmes of interaction in this area.

Socio-cultural risks of multimodal large generative models of "artificial intelligence" (GenAI)

The article is devoted to the study of the conditions for ensuring the information security of Russian citizens when using generative "artificial intelligence" technologies in the socio-cultural sphere. The relevance of the topic is due to the modern high rates of development of computer neural networks that generate multimedia content: texts, images, sounds and videos. The developers classify generative technologies as "artificial intelligence", position them as a "new nuclear project" capable of radically increasing the productivity of socio-cultural creativity, and receive significant government, corporate and investment financing. The object of the study is modern multimedia generative models, the subject of the study is the possibility of their use in the socio-cultural sphere of creativity and the associated risks of information security. The purpose of the study is to determine the conditions for ensuring the information security of Russian citizens when using multimodal generative technologies in the socio-cultural sphere. The research materials are scientific publications of recent years (2021–2024) in Russian journals of the HAC list (categories K1, K2) and international Scopus publications (quartiles Q1, Q2) devoted to research and critical analysis of the possibilities of multimodal generative models, associated risks and security tools. The philosophical methodology is applied: theoretical and cultural analysis, synthesis. The scientific novelty of the article is due to the application of a philosophical theoretical and cultural methodology for a critical comparison of the declarations of developers and the actual potential of applications of multimodal generative technologies. The result of the study is an assessment of how greatly exaggerated the risks predicted based on the positioning of the technologies in question as "artificial intelligence". The real risks are proposed to include: the incompatibility of development costs with the usefulness of the results; lowering the cultural level of professional and amateur creativity and worsening the tastes of the mass audience; use in "social engineering", fraud, mass disinformation, fake news, manipulation of public consciousness, "cancellation culture", destruction of traditional values and substitution of socio-cultural identity. The means of ensuring the safety of Russian citizens in the development and use of multimedia generative technologies in the socio-cultural sphere are recommended.

City status and property registration: publicity of urbanistic-environmental information

City status and property registration: publicity of urbanistic-environmental information

Gender, Security and Poverty in Africa: The Bane of Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria

Nigeria is now experiencing complex existential challenges related to gender inequity, citizen security, and poverty. The establishment and maintenance of states are heavily influenced by gender dynamics, which are further compounded by the disruptive effects of economic and social inequalities. Non-state actors perpetuate discrimination and violence, specifically targeting women and girls, as a result of entrenched cultural norms that dictate stereotypical gender roles and relationships. The primary aim of the research is to examine the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals about gender, security, and poverty in Nigeria. The six geographical regions are descending into a state of ungovernability, as terror squads have completely taken control of rural and suburban communities. The paper's theoretical foundation is based on Robert Merton's Anomie Theory. The research used a methodical approach by using content analysis, specifically relying on secondary data. The study mostly gathered statistical data from reputable sources such as the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigerian Living Standard Survey, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, and SDGs Base line reports. The findings indicate that implementing policies such as the Micro-Credit Scheme and Conditional Cash Transfer as part of Social Investment did not effectively address the issues of poverty and security. The results of the study indicate that gender inequality, insecurity, and poverty are still widespread in all aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Consequently, development is certain to be hindered. The article states that the expansion and implementation of universal social protection and social security schemes should not discriminate based on age, gender, disability, or education systems. The paper suggests In order to eradicate insecurity and poverty, it is imperative to develop more robust economies. This process starts by empowering women to transition from mere participation in the economy to attaining complete economic authority. Keywords: Bane, Gender, Security, SDGs and Poverty

IoT Based Street Light Fault Detection and Location Tracking

Abstract: In the era of smart cities, efficient management of public infrastructure is paramount. Street lighting is a fundamental component of urban infrastructure, ensuring safety and security for citizens. However, the conventional methods of monitoring street lights are often inefficient and labor-intensive, leading to delayed detection and resolution of faults. This paper proposes a novel approach for street light fault detection and location tracking leveraging advanced technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and geographic information systems (GIS). The proposed system consists of a network of IoT-enabled sensors installed on street lights, capable of monitoring various parameters such as luminosity, power consumption, and operational status in real-time, voltage drop, current loss. Through machine learning algorithms, the system intelligently analyzes the sensor data to detect anomalies and potential faults in the street lights. Upon detection of a fault, the system employs location tracking techniques, to precisely pinpoint the faulty street light's location

From Research to Applications: What Can We Extract with Social Media Sensing?

With the constant growth of social media in our daily lives, a huge amount of information is generated online by multiple social networks. However, what can we actually extract with the science of social media sensing? It is a very challenging task to mine meaningful data out of this vast crowdsourcing volume, which also rapidly changes or ends up being misleading. The scope of this paper is to present different approaches that overcome these challenges and utilize social media information from various sources. This work illustrates applications that: improve the performance of architectural design; preserve the cultural heritage; enhance citizen security; provide early detection for disasters; and discover creeping crisis events. A large variety of analyses are presented, including, among other, disaster or crime event detection, user identity linkage, relevance classification, and community detection techniques. The evaluation of the presented methods is also given in this article, proving that they can be practical and valuable in many applications.

Legal Strategies and Transnational Cooperation in Countering Terrorism:A Case Study of Uganda's Framework

Terrorism remains a global threat, with terrorists operating across borders and targeting innocent civilians. While criminal law traditionally operates within national boundaries, the challenge of terrorism necessitates a reevaluation of legal frameworks to effectively combat this phenomenon. This article explores the legal framework for countering terrorism in Uganda, emphasizing the need for enhanced national and regional cooperation to strengthen criminal justice structures. It examines international and regional human rights instruments, victim rights, criminal justice responses to terrorism, and the role of international cooperation in combating this transnational threat. Additionally, it discusses the adoption of administrative measures within a rule of law framework to prevent individuals from engaging in terrorist activities. The study underscores the importance of addressing terrorism through both legal and operational means to ensure the safety and security of citizens. Keywords: Counterterrorism, Legal framework, Terrorism, Terrorist-attacks, Victims of terrorism.