Crime latency: concept, types and mechanisms of formation

The indicators of the state of crime reflected in statistical reporting, despite the fact that they are representative for the analysis of the state of crime and the activities of law enforcement agencies, are not objective and sufficient for the development of an effective system of measures to combat crime. The pluralism of scientific approaches to understanding the phenomenon of latent crime and identifying its types determines the different approaches of scientists to determining the factors determining the latency of crime and understanding the mechanisms of its formation. The need to develop methods for establishing the level of latency of crime determines the need to develop a unified scientific approach to understanding latent crime, its types and mechanisms of formation. The purpose of this article is to develop a concept, establish the types and mechanisms of formation of latent crime. It is proposed to understand latent crime as mass, systemic, criminal (criminally prohibited) behavior of a part of society members that has not received proper legal assessment. Depending on the mechanism of formation, the following types of crime latency should be distinguished: natural latency; artificial latency; latency as a related state; concealment of crimes from registration. Various mechanisms of formation of latent crime determine the development of a set of corresponding methods and techniques for establishing the level of latency of crime and its individual types.