ABSRC LJUBLJANA 2024 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Advances in Business-Related Scientific Research Conference – Abstracts Advances in Business-Related Scientific Research Conference – Papers ABSRC LJUBLJANA 2024 Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 9, 2024 Editor: Ajda Fošner www.absrc.org 1 Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v Narodni in ADVANCES in Business-Related Scientific Research univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani Conference (2024; Ljubljana) COBISS.SI-ID 190836739 Conference proceedings [Elektronski vir] / Advances in ISBN 978-961-6347-95-2 (PDF) Business-Related Scientific Research Conference - ABSRC 2024, Ljubljana, Slovenia April 9, 2024; [organized by GEA College]; editor Ajda Fošner.- Ljubljana: GEA College – Fakulteta za podjetništvo, 2024 1. Fošner, Ajda 2. GEA College (Ljubljana). Fakulteta za podjetništvo Copyrights: Name, form, design, reproduction – GEA College – Faculty of Entrepreneurship; Contents of individual papers – paper authors Editor: Ajda Fošner Issued and published by: GEA College – Faculty of Entrepreneurship, Dunajska 156, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Year: 2024 (April 2024) ABSRC is an important international gathering of business and business-related sciences scholars and educators. ABSRC 2024 – organized by GEA COLLEGE – Faculty of Entrepreneurship. Publisher: GEA COLLEGE – Faculty of Entrepreneurship, Dunajska 156, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. All submissions were reviewed. Selection for inclusion in the conference program was based upon quality, originality, and relevance, in the judgment of the review process. Contents of papers published as received from the authors. The authors retain their rights to publish their papers elsewhere. All rights reserved. Conference Chair Ajda Fošner Conference Scientific Review Committee (in alphabetical order) Suavi Ahipasaoglu, Okan University, Istanbul, Turkey Nikša Alfirević, Faculty of Economics, University of Split, Croatia Boštjan Antončič, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia Heri Bezic, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia Ionel Bostan, University “Stefan cel Mare” of Suceava, Suceava, Romania Kresimir Buntak, University North, Koprivnica, Croatia Patrycja Chodnicka, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland Alex F. DeNoble, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A. Ajda Fošner, GEA College, Ljubljana, Slovenia Ana Globocnik Zunac, University North, Koprivnica, Croatia Klodiana Gorica, University of Tirana, Albania Dietmar Grichnik, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland Katherine Gundolf, GSCM – Montpellier Business School, Montpellier, France Robert D. Hisrich, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Mitja Jeraj, GEA College, Ljubljana, Slovenia Nicholas S. Jewczyn, Ashford University, San Diego, California, U. S. A. Ronald C. Johnson, American Public University, Charles Town, West Virginia, U.S.A. Renata Karkowska, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland Claudine Kearney, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Imen Khanchel, University of Manouba, Tunisia Alzbeta Kiralova, College of Business, Prague, Czech Republic Ekaterina Kostina, Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, Novosibirsk, Russia Abey Kuruvilla, University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.A. Marina Letonja, GEA College, Ljubljana, Slovenia Leonard H. Lynn, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. 2 Stephen O. Migiro, Graduate School of Business Leadership, Midrand, South Africa Celina M. Olszak, University of Economics, Katowice, Poland Mirjana Pejić Bach, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia Cezar Scarlat, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania Seval Selіmoglu, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey Gangaram Singh, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A. Seweryn Spalek, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland Stanislav Stofko, University of Zilina, Zilina, Slovakia Dindayal Swain, International Management Institute, Bhubaneswar, India Igor Todorovic, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina Jaka Vadnjal, GEA College, Ljubljana, Slovenia Conference Research Abstracts List ABSRC 2024 LJUBLJANA ABSTRACTS Boštjan Aver, Tjaša THE IMPACT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS ON THE PUBLISHING Klenovšek INDUSTRY IN SLOVENIA Zhassulan Baikenov ANALYSIS OF FEMALE CRIME IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN IN et al. THE CONTEXT OF A GENDER APPROACH DYNAMICS AND FINANCING OF THE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS: AN Vladimir Bukvič EXAMPLE OF SLOVENIAN COMPANIES Lea Cok, Jani Toroš, GAINING INSIGHT INTO CONSUMERS' CHOICE OF PREFERRED Jan Nalestnik WORDS WITH THE MAXDIFF METHOD Laura Fink, Jaka GENERIC AND COURSE-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES IN COMPARISON Vadnjal HOW TO MANAGE AND MONITOR TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Vladimir Bukvič EFFECTIVELY ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY COOPERATION IN RESEARCH & Stjepan Groš DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: EXPERIENCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS Conference Research Papers List ABSRC 2024 LJUBLJANA PAPERS Boštjan Aver, Tjaša THE IMPACT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS ON THE PUBLISHING Klenovšek INDUSTRY IN SLOVENIA Zhassulan Baikenov ANALYSIS OF FEMALE CRIME IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN IN et al. THE CONTEXT OF A GENDER APPROACH 3 KEYNOTE SPEAKER Alois Paulin Professor of Digital Innovation and Transformation in Public Administration at the HVF Ludwigsburg, Germany Dr. Stjepan Groš is associate professor at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing. His scientific and professional interests lie in the field of information and cyber security, as well as the application of advanced methods to address issues in these areas, where he has published a number of scientific papers. Stjepan Groš has led or participated in several projects related to cyber security funded by EU resources and has established strong collaborations with various companies and government institutions in Croatia. Since 2014, he has been the head of the Laboratory for Information Security and Privacy. He is also a chair of the Cyber and Information Security conference at MIPRO Convention held annually in Opatija, Croatia. Additionally, he is a member of the Management Board of the Croatian Cluster of Competitiveness in Defense Industries tasked with cyber security are. He also serves on the committee for the postgraduate specialist study program in Information Security at his Faculty. Stjepan Groš contributed to the development of the National Cyber Security Strategy of the Republic of Croatia in 2014 and worked on the cyber security topics of Smart Specialization Strategy of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2014-2020. He organized three conferences about R&D in Croatia from 2017 to 2019. Abstract Academia and industry cooperation in research & development projects: Experiences and recommendations Research and development (R&D) play a pivotal role in the advancement of highly technological economies. To fortify the European economy, the European Union strategically invests significantly in R&D, notably employing the smart specialization strategy mandated for every member state. However, engaging in R&D is a complex undertaking, demanding a profound understanding of the intricacies involved. Establishing trustworthy partnerships is equally vital, posing a particular challenge for member states lacking a tradition in R&D, such as Croatia and Slovenia. Efficient and effective R&D necessitates collaboration between industry and academia, the two primary stakeholders, who require support in the form of experience and knowledge exchange. In this presentation, I will share insights gained from my involvement in 4 implementing the Smart Specialization Strategy in Croatia, active participation in various R&D projects, and discussions with companies on R&D project themes. An intriguing revelation surfaces: companies excel in development, while academia thrives in research, yet both face challenges in the collaborative domain of R&D. I will delve into the prevalent misunderstandings between these partners, elucidating how they impede projects and lead to suboptimal outcomes. Additionally, I will discuss potential interventions by policy makers to enhance the efficacy of this collaboration. Key Words Academia and industry cooperation; research & development. 5 THE IMPACT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS ON THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY IN SLOVENIA Boštjan Aver Tjaša Klenovšek* GEA College – Faculty of Entrepreneurship GEA College – Faculty of Entrepreneurship Slovenia Slovenia Bostjan.aver@gea-college.si tjasa.klenovsek@gmail.com Abstract The paper discusses the impact and extent of the 2008 economic crisis on the book publishing industry in Slovenia, a key sector in the development and preservation of Slovenian culture and language. Through six selected indicators, the operations of 15 publishing houses in Slovenia were analysed, covering large, medium, and small publishers but excluding self-publishers. The analysis confirmed hypotheses about the financial and economic crisis dimensions, which led some publishers to face liquidity issues. However, the crisis also presented opportunities, which some publishers utilized to successfully adapt their business models, maintaining or even improving their market position. Key Words Economic crisis; book publishing industry; Slovenia. 6 ANALYSIS OF FEMALE CRIME IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN IN THE CONTEXT OF A GENDER APPROACH Yuliya Gavrilova Zhassulan Baikenov* Irina Kalabikhina Kazakh-American Free University, Kazakh-American Free University, Lomonosov Moscow State Department of Law and Department of Business University, Department of International Relations The Republic of Kazakhstan Population The Republic of Kazakhstan zhas86kz@mail.ru Russian Federation gavriloyuliya@yandex.ru ikalabikhina@yandex.ru Aizhan Mukhamadiyeva Bordiyanu Ilona Kuanysh Аlpysbaev Kazakh-American Free University, Kazakh-American Free University, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical Department of Business Department of Business University, Sorbonne-Kazakhstan The Republic of Kazakhstan The Republic of Kazakhstan Institute ai-m77@mail.ru ordiyanuilona@mail.ru The Republic of Kazakhstan alpysbayev_kuan@mail.ru Abstract The changes in the socio-economic role of women provoke an increase in female crime as well as an increase in the proportion of convicted women. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the trend of convergence of gender and social roles leads to the lessening of the gap between female and male crime. To address the growing numbers of female crime in Kazakhstan, measures are being taken to humanize criminal legislation. However, the official statistics of the Prosecutor General's Office show that along with a decrease in the number of women's criminal cases, there is an increase in administrative offenses committed by women. Having analyzed the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of modern female crime in the context of a gender approach, the authors propose the most effective measures aimed at preventing, combating, and reducing the level of female crime. Key Words Women's crime; gender approach; gender gap in crime; feminist criminology; humanization of legislation. 7 DYNAMICS AND FINANCING OF THE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS: AN EXAMPLE OF SLOVENIAN COMPANIES Vladimir Bukvič GEA College – Faculty of Entrepreneurship Slovenia vladimir.bukvic.ce@gmail.com Abstract The author shows how companies in the real (non-financial) sector of the economy carry out their investment activities, especially how they invest in long-term assets (physical capital), in terms of both investment dynamics and investment financing, with an emphasis on strategic investments. In the theoretical part of the paper, the author presents certain laws that apply in the field of investment activity, addressing the issue of the intensity of the investment activity of companies over time (investment dynamics) and the issue of providing the necessary financial resources for the implementation of strategic investments (investment financing). The latter also relates to the issue of companies’ access to long-term financial resources on the financial and capital markets. In the empirical part of the paper, on a sample of Slovenian large and medium-sized companies from the real (non-financial) sector of the economy, the investment activity of companies in the period 2010– 2017, i.e. after the great financial crisis and economic recession, is shown. This is done through the prism of various factors and their effects on investment ability in terms of exploiting investment opportunities, investment financing or creditworthiness, the actual implementation of investments in relation to investment plans, and the economic effects of the investments made. The author puts forward several research hypotheses (9), which he fully confirms. Key Words Strategic investments; investment dynamics; investment financing; investment implementation; investment effectiveness. 8 GAINING INSIGHT INTO CONSUMERS' CHOICE OF PREFERRED WORDS WITH THE MAXDIFF METHOD Lea Cok* Jani Toroš Jan Nalesnik Faculty of Advanced Social Studies GEA College GEA College Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia lea.cok@gmail.com jani.ivan.toros@gmail.com jan.nalesnik@gmail.com Abstract The research aims to categorize associations with the term trust using the MaxDiff method as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of advertising messages. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences between various word associations linked to the term trust. Adjectives such as reliable, loyal, and caring emerged as the most frequently associated words with the term trust, reflecting respondents' preferences. Additionally, the study revealed that 80.8% of respondents favored adjectives over nouns when linking them to the term trust. Through the utilization of the MaxDiff methodology, this research provides valuable insights into the nuanced perceptions of trust in advertising, informing the development of more impactful messaging strategies. Key Words Trust; advertising credibility; preferences; adjectives; nouns. 9 GENERIC AND COURSE-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES IN COMPARISON Laura Fink* Jaka Vadnjal GEA College, Faculty of entrepreneurship GEA College, Faculty of entrepreneurship Slovenia Slovenia laura.fink@gea-college.si jaka.vadnjal@gea-college.si Abstract Higher education institutions frequently align the high-level, generic competencies outlined in their curricula with job market demands, but the implementation of generic competencies and the corresponding course-specific competencies is crucial. Our study explores the reflection and interconnection of generic and course-specific competencies in course implementation. Research based on an undergraduate course, "Business Plan and Startup of a Company," reveals that students improved their generic competencies while developing course-specific competencies and that their development is interconnected. The progress in acquiring the course-specific competencies surpasses the acquisition of the generic competencies. The study reveals higher advancements in generic competencies that were at a lower level of development as opposed to those that were more developed prior to the beginning of the course. We noticed similar trends in the context of course-specific competencies. We also investigated which generic and course-specific competencies were more developed during the case study course and the underlying reasons. Key Words Course-specific competence; generic competence; competence development; business studies; higher education. 10 THE IMPACT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS ON THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY IN SLOVENIA Boštjan Aver Tjaša Klenovšek* GEA College – Faculty of Entrepreneurship GEA College – Faculty of Entrepreneurship Slovenia Slovenia Bostjan.aver@gea-college.si tjasa.klenovsek@gmail.com Abstract The paper discusses the impact and extent of the 2008 economic crisis on the book publishing industry in Slovenia, a key sector in the development and preservation of Slovenian culture and language. Through six selected indicators, the operations of 15 publishing houses in Slovenia were analysed, covering large, medium, and small publishers but excluding self-publishers. The analysis confirmed hypotheses about the financial and economic crisis dimensions, which led some publishers to face liquidity issues. However, the crisis also presented opportunities, which some publishers utilized to successfully adapt their business models, maintaining or even improving their market position. Key Words Economic crisis; book publishing industry; Slovenia. INTRODUCTION Although the 2008 economic crisis began in America with the collapse of the mortgage-based financial system, it significantly affected the European economy in 2009, as evidenced by the considerable negative values of real GDP in EU member states (Stražišar et al., 2015). The repercussions of the economic crisis are still felt today and will be addressed for much longer. The crisis substantially altered sectoral relationships, severely impacting many companies unable to repay loans, leading to bankruptcies (Stražišar et al., 2015; Kotz, 2009). During the crisis, the heart of Slovenian publishing annually produced around 2000 new titles, with about half from larger Slovenian publishers with well-developed sales channels, securing enough revenue for smooth operations. In 2012, a decline in book purchases by libraries, accounting for about a tenth of the Slovenian book market, significantly impacted publishers' revenues. Additionally, the reduction of state-subsidized funds deepened the crisis in publishing by decreasing funds for author fees, affecting the number of new books (Rugelj, 2012; Rugelj, 2013). Moreover, the Slovenian market's small size and the limitation 11 of publishers to the Slovenian market, requiring the same production and sales efforts as publishers in larger language markets, should not be overlooked (Rugelj, 2012; Rugelj, 2013). The purpose of this research was to determine the impact and extent of the 2008 global economic crisis on the publishing industry of Slovenia. Although the effects of the crisis were felt somewhat later in Slovenia, they were nonetheless significant, and many publishers were not prepared for them or perhaps even thought they would be able to avoid them. However, according to official data, it was in 2014, when Slovenia's economic growth after the crisis turned positive again and GDP increased, that the publishing industry of books saw an increasing trend of declining numbers of published titles. Some publishers have already disappeared or are dependent on large bookstore chains. Through an analysis of the business performance indicators of publishers in Slovenia, the research showed the extent to which the economic crisis affected the publishing industry in our market and thus significantly shook the existence of many publishers in Slovenia and caused many social changes. At the same time, it proved the importance of recognizing new trends and factors that cause crises and the timeliness of action. When determining the success of a company, profitability indicators are undoubtedly the most important, as they explain the achieved business results of economic entities. The higher their value the more successful the company is. The most commonly used indicators are ROE (return on equity) and ROA (return on assets), which show how successfully the company manages the owners' assets and how successfully the company manages its assets. The analysis of the business result thus tells us how successfully the company converts revenues into profit, to what extent the business result stems from regular activities or extraordinary events, and most importantly, it tells us how prepared the company is for a possible crisis (Bergant, 2018). Of course, we should not neglect the indicators of efficiency either. If the coefficient of total efficiency is greater than 1, the company is more successful, which means that it operates with a profit. Indicators of productivity, such as revenue per employee (which, however, show the opposite trend), are also very interesting for the analysis of success. A company is more successful if the amount of total revenue per employee is as high as possible. The research objectives were: 1. Analyse the business performance of 15 selected publishing houses in Slovenia in the period 2011-2019 using selected business performance indicators. 2. Based on the obtained data, verify the extent to which the analysed publishing houses were prepared for the economic crisis. It should be emphasized that the research was conducted only in Slovenia and it can not be generalised to the global level. The sample of 15 analysed publishing houses includes large, medium and small publishing houses, but does not include self-publishers. Research Hypotheses H1: The economic crisis of 2008 had a negative impact on the book publishing industry in Slovenia, as some publishing houses in Slovenia faced financial and liquidity problems after the crisis. H2: The dimensions of the economic crisis of 2008 had negative consequences for the publishing industry in Slovenia, leading to the collapse or bankruptcy of some publishing houses. 12 H3: The economic crisis of 2008 later had a positive impact on certain companies in the publishing industry in Slovenia, as it brought new trends that some publishing houses took advantage of and adapted their business models or created new ones, thus preserving their existence. MATERIALS AND METHODS As part of the research, we analysed the business performance indicators of 15 large and small publishing houses that operated during the research period of the last nine years. The entire analysis of the selected business performance indicators of the 15 studied Slovenian publishing houses is based on official data and the classification of activities of the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Services (AJPES). According to the Law on State Statistics, AJPES is responsible for collecting and processing data from the annual reports of business entities in the Republic of Slovenia. Within the analytical approach, we analysed historical accounting data for the selected 15 Slovenian publishing houses, i.e. data from their financial statements, such as the income statement and balance sheet, for each year from 2011 to 2019. It should be emphasised that in June and July 2020, we also obtained the latest data for 2019, as due to the pandemic, these financial statements for 2019 were not available until June 2020 onwards. Based on the Slovenian Accounting Standards, we selected accounting indicators. We calculated them for the period 2011-2019, namely as an average for the period 2011-2015, for which we assumed that there was a significant deterioration in the business performance indicators of the selected largest Slovenian publishing houses operating in the period under study. This is also indicated by the re-presented picture of the number of books published between 2009 and 2015, which shows a sharp or the largest drop in the number of books published precisely in the period 2011-2015. Precisely because the largest drop in the number of books published since 2011 was followed by the largest drop in the GDP of the Republic of Slovenia in 2009 (an almost 8% drop in GDP) with an estimated lag of around two years, we assumed that the largest Slovenian publishing houses would also perform worse from 2011 to 2015. We selected the second study period 2016-2019 because we assumed that the business performance of the publishing houses that remained on the market had nevertheless stabilised somewhat or improved slightly from 2016 to 2019, during a period of higher growth in Slovenian GDP (Slovenian GDP started to grow again from 2014 onwards, but we also assumed a lag of around two years in the recovery and improvement of the business performance of Slovenian publishing houses, i.e. from 2016 onwards). RESULTS For the analysis, we selected the business performance of 15 Slovenian publishing houses that mostly have the main activity registered as J 58.110 - Publishing of books. We thus selected for data processing 15 publishing houses for the period 2011-2019 and excluded six of the most important indicators from among the many possible business performance indicators: - Short-term liquidity ratio - Credit exposure from operations - Debt-to-equity ratio 13 - Net financial debt to EBITDA - Return on equity (ROE) - Return on assets (ROA) Hypotheses 1 and 2 We confirmed hypotheses 1 and 2 with the help of data analysis for 15 Slovenian publishing houses, by calculating the six selected key business performance indicators for the analysed period 2011-2019. It is evident from the calculation of the sum of all revenues of the Slovenian publishing houses included in the analysis that the economic crisis also had a negative impact on the publishing industry with a delay, as their total revenues in 2011 amounted to EUR 60.8 million and fell by 46.5% to EUR 32.6 million in revenues in 2019. The impact of GDP growth in the period 2014-2019 on the improvement of business performance indicators in the publishing industry is also evident from the analysis of the average values of the six analysed indicators for the period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015. Financial and liquidity problems The financial and liquidity problems of publishing houses are particularly evident from the calculations of the short-term liquidity ratio and the credit exposure indicator. In the period 2011-2015, three analysed Slovenian publishing houses had a higher credit exposure from operations (the indicator was higher than 0.30), which represents 21.4% of all studied publishing houses. In the last period 2016-2019, four analysed Slovenian publishing houses had a higher credit exposure from operations (the indicator was higher than 0.30), which represents 28.6% of all studied publishing houses. This indicator is important because it shows potential liquidity problems of the company, and it is recommended that the credit exposure indicator from operations be less than 0.30. This means that more than 25% of the studied publishing houses in Slovenia faced financial and liquidity problems, which in such a small economic area as Slovenia represents a great risk and instability for the publishing industry of books. Hypothesis 3 We also confirm hypothesis 3 and again present the key findings for each indicator. Liquidity Liquidity or the short-term liquidity ratio has slightly improved in the last period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015 for nine studied publishing houses, which represents 64.3%. Overall, looking at all publishing houses together, the average short-term liquidity ratio for this publishing industry has improved in the last period 2016-2019, i.e. in the period of higher economic growth, compared to the first period 2011-2015, i.e. the period after the great crisis. Thus, the average short-term liquidity ratio in the period 2016-2019 was 2.53 and was higher than in the period 2011-2015, when it was 2.14. Credit exposure from operations 14 Credit exposure from operations improved in the last period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015 for eight studied publishing houses, which represents 57.1%. It worsened for four publishing houses, and for two publishing houses, it remained essentially unchanged. Overall, looking at all publishing houses together, the average credit exposure from operations indicator for this publishing industry has improved in the last period 2016-2019, i.e. in the period of higher economic growth, compared to the first period 2011-2015, i.e. the period after the great crisis of 2008 or 2009. Thus, the average credit exposure from the operations indicator in the period 2016-2019 was 0.55 (the recommended value is below 0.3) and was lower than in the period 2011-2015, when it was 1.22. Debt-to-equity ratio The debt-to-equity ratio improved in the last period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015 for ten publishing houses, which represents 71.4%. It worsened for four publishing houses. Overall, looking at all publishing houses together, the average debt-to-equity ratio for this publishing industry has improved only slightly in the last period 2016-2019, i.e. in the period of higher economic growth, compared to the first period 2011-2015, i.e. the period after the great crisis of 2008 or 2009. Thus, the average debt-to-equity ratio of the selected Slovenian publishing houses in the period 2016-2019 was around 55.9% (the recommended value is below 60%) and was lower than in the period 2011-2015, when it was around 57.7%. Net financial debt to EBITDA Net financial debt to EBITDA improved in the last period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015 for nine studied publishing houses, which represents 64.3%. It worsened for four publishing houses, and for one publishing house the indicator remained essentially unchanged. Return on equity (ROE) ROE improved in the last period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015 for eight studied publishing houses, which represents 57.1%. It worsened for six publishing houses. Return on assets (ROA) ROA improved in the last period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015 for eight studied publishing houses, which represents 57.1%. It worsened for six publishing houses. DISCUSSION The impact of the financial and economic crisis of 2008 on the book publishing industry in Slovenia was significant. The calculated business performance indicators of the studied publishing houses showed that several publishing houses faced financial and liquidity problems in the period 2011-2019. These problems were more pronounced in the first study period, i.e. the recession period from 2011 to 2015. In the second study period 2016-2019, i.e. the period of economic growth, the indicators showed a more positive trend. The negative impact and dimensions of the financial and economic crisis of 2008 on the book publishing industry are also reflected in the calculation of the sum of all revenues of the older Slovenian publishing houses included in the analysis. Their total revenues in 2011 amounted to EUR 60.8 million and fell by 46.5% to EUR 32.6 million in revenues in 2019. As 15 a result, many publishing houses in Slovenia found themselves in financial and liquidity problems and were therefore forced to cease operations or go into bankruptcy. Despite this, there are some positive trends, especially in the second study period, i.e. the period of economic growth from 2016 to 2019. The studied business performance indicators improved. The overall business performance improved for eight out of 14 studied publishing houses, and three managed to maintain stable business performance. The impact of GDP growth in the period 2014-2019 on the improvement of business performance indicators in the publishing industry is also evident from the analysis of the average values of the six analysed indicators for the period 2016-2019 compared to the period 2011-2015. Based on the results of the analysis of the impact of the financial and economic crisis of 2008, we present the following proposals: 1. Early recognition of crisis symptoms - Publishing houses should pay as much attention as possible to the symptoms that may indicate the onset of a particular crisis, identify them, analyse them, and react to them promptly. - The timeliness of recognizing negative economic and other trends and indicators is extremely important, as companies can more easily and quickly correct possible mistakes if they operate positively. In the event of a financial or liquidity deficit, positive solutions become much more difficult. 2. Optimization of business costs and creation of capital reserves or liquidity - Optimization of business costs and creation of capital reserves or liquidity is key to successfully overcoming the crisis. This should be done already in the period of economic growth, i.e. when GDP is growing, and not when it starts to fall. This is because the conditions for borrowing loans or financial loans also change and become more stringent in crises and recessions. 3. Clear and developed logic and financing program - Since it is impossible to avoid crises in the business world, it is necessary to have a clear and developed logic and financing program for the period of crisis management, when the company's turnover falls or revenues are lower than expected. - It is necessary to have secondary business plans and to adapt business models to the potentially new economic situation. 4. Timely recognition of trends and opportunities - Each crisis also creates certain trends and opportunities, so it is extremely important for publishers to recognize them in a timely manner. - Monitoring, analysing, and above all, timely recognition and adaptation to certain trends in the economy are crucial for the survival or even improvement of business operations even in times of crisis. 16 References Bergant, Ž. (2018). Priročnik za analiziranje poslovanja. Inštitut za poslovno računovodstvo. Blatnik, A. (2016). Možnosti vzpostavitve založniških standardov in njihov učinek. Knjižnica, 60(1/2), 91–100. Carreiro, E. (2010). Electronic books: how digital devices and supplementary new technologies are changing the face of the publishing industry. Publishing research quarterly, 26(4), 219–235. Kotz, D. M. (2009). The financial and economic crisis of 2008: a systemic crisis of neoliberal capitalism. Review of radical political economics, 41(3), 305–317. Malešič, M. (2008). Odzivanje na kompleksno varnostno krizo v Sloveniji: norma, struktura in funkcija. Teorija in praksa, 45(1/2), 113–128. Rugelj, S. (2012). Slovenska knjiga v času krize. https://www.delo.si/zgodbe/sobotnapriloga/slovenska-knjiga-v-casu-krize.html Rugelj, S. (2013). Negotove poti slovenskega založništva. Sodobnost, 77(3), 195–205. Stražišar, N., Strnad, B. in Štemberger, P. (2015). Nacionalni računi o gospodarski krizi v Sloveniji. https://www.stat.si/dokument/8669/nacionalni%20racuni%20o%20gospodarski%20kriz i-internet.pdf Vrečko, I., & Mulej, M. (2012). Obvladovanje sistemskih strateških kriz za preprečevanje poslovnih kriz. Naše gospodarstvo, 58(5-6), 3–13. 17 ANALYSIS OF FEMALE CRIME IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN IN THE CONTEXT OF A GENDER APPROACH Yuliya Gavrilova Zhassulan Baikenov* Irina Kalabikhina Kazakh-American Free University, Kazakh-American Free University, Lomonosov Moscow State Department of Law and Department of Business University, Department of International Relations The Republic of Kazakhstan Population The Republic of Kazakhstan zhas86kz@mail.ru Russian Federation gavriloyuliya@yandex.ru ikalabikhina@yandex.ru Aizhan Mukhamadiyeva Bordiyanu Ilona Kuanysh Аlpysbaev Kazakh-American Free University, Kazakh-American Free University, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical Department of Business Department of Business University, Sorbonne-Kazakhstan The Republic of Kazakhstan The Republic of Kazakhstan Institute ai-m77@mail.ru ordiyanuilona@mail.ru The Republic of Kazakhstan alpysbayev_kuan@mail.ru Abstract The changes in the socio-economic role of women provoke an increase in female crime as well as an increase in the proportion of convicted women. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the trend of convergence of gender and social roles leads to the lessening of the gap between female and male crime. To address the growing numbers of female crime in Kazakhstan, measures are being taken to humanize criminal legislation. However, the official statistics of the Prosecutor General's Office show that along with a decrease in the number of women's criminal cases, there is an increase in administrative offenses committed by women. Having analyzed the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of modern female crime in the context of a gender approach, the authors propose the most effective measures aimed at preventing, combating, and reducing the level of female crime. Key Words Women's crime; gender approach; gender gap in crime; feminist criminology; humanization of legislation. INTRODUCTION Modern realities of social life demonstrate the vulnerability of women in comparison with men due to their greater work and home load, fear of losing their jobs, low wages, and weak social protections or support of motherhood. 18 There remains an ever-increasing need for better socio-economic conditions, which cannot be met because of the discrepancies in the status of women in the social structure. As a result of socio-economic differentiation, tensions are increasing, which often leads to deviations among women such as domestic drunkenness, alcoholism, drug addiction and prostitution. All of the above, along with the change in the social role of women in society, encourages more and more women to commit crimes. Official statistics from the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan show swinging trends in the dynamics of both general crime and female and male crime. Female crime peaked in 1996 (15,340 crimes) and 2014 (16,608 crimes); the highest rates of crimes committed by men in 1996 were 101,327, in 2016 – 101,887. From the end of the 2000s to 2014, there has been an increase in female crime, and since 2014, women and men have had a steady downward trend in overall crime (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Number of crimes committed by women and men in the Republic of Kazakhstan Number of crimes committed by women and men in the Republic of Kazakhstan 140000 120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 total 1E+059753989269975311E+051E+059638673925802108498979641780797867384.41 83.70 98.17 102.5 106.8 108.4 117.7 115.6 108.2 99.50 76.51 64.11 61.58 women 1534013556 9169 11183117061316012816 8626 8678 9839 9344 9055 9767 10.66 10.34 12.48 14.74 16.60 15.07 15.85 14.84 13.00 12.08 9.824 8.512 7.864 total women men men 1E+0583983801008634888551903118357065299715327515070297690246890673.74 73.35 85.69 87.82 90.29 93.38 101.8 100.8 95.28 87.42 66.69 55.59 53.71 Source: Compiled by the authors on the basis of Reports of Form No. 1-M "On Registered Criminal Offenses". Section 6. "Information on Persons Who Have Committed Offences". Statistical Indicators of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CLS&SA GP RK)// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics In general, over the past 25 years, there has been a stable gender gap in crime in Kazakhstan, characterized by a much lower level of female crime compared to male. Despite the general trends in the development of crime among both sexes, each of them has its own distinctive features, factors, quantitative and qualitative differences. The analysis of crimes committed by women, their quantitative and qualitative characteristics in the context of the gender perspective makes it possible for the State to respond by changing legislation in a timely manner, as well as to develop preventive measures to reduce the commission of crimes. LITERATURE REVIEW The problem of female delinquency in the context of gender approach started to receive its due attention only in the 1980s in foreign Anglo-American literature. 19 One of the first scholarly works is the monograph "Women, Crime and Criminology" by C. Smart, first published in 1977. The author emphasizes that the lack of interest in women's crimes is explained by its insignificant scale compared to men's crimes (Smart,1977). At the same time, the scholarly paper of the American researcher Adler Freda "Sisters in Crime: the Rise of the New Female Criminal" was published. The author divided crimes into male and female, rejecting the theory of a gender passive female criminal. Using crimes such as prostitution and violent crimes, the researcher proved that the increase in female crime is explained by the expansion of women's empowerment. So, for example, if a woman has a body that can be sold, she is able to become a prostitute... if a woman works as a clerk in a bank, this leads to her becoming able to commit bank fraud. By this, a woman who commits crimes is under the constraints of socio-economic factors (Adler, 1975). This position was similar to that of Rita James Simon, who, in her monograph “The Contemporary Women and Crime”, suggested that "as women become freer from domestic work, they are more engaged in work and are more likely to engage in the types of crime for which the profession offers them the greatest opportunity." Rita James Simon cited statistics showing that in 1972 the most common types of crimes among women in the United States were forgery, fraud, and embezzlement (Simon, 1975), which, in conjunction with the theory of possibilities, confirmed her hypothesis. Since the 1970s, Carlen has been researching the problem of women inmates in the UK. In her monograph “Women's Imprisonment. A Study in Social Control” the researcher emphasized that the 65% increase in the number of imprisoned women over the past 12 years had also brought up problems associated with their detention (Carlen, 1983). Later, P. Carlen in 2000, while continuing to study the English prison system based on the prison statistics of the Home Office of England and Wales, showed that between 1990 and 1998 the number of women in prisons doubled: from 1,767 to 3,110, which was 4.9% of the total number of prisoners. The researcher concluded that female prisoners are different from male, therefore, this should be reflected both in prison regimes and in policies aimed at reducing each type of crime (Carlen, 1999/2000). The issue of gender in judicial decision-making was the subject of a collective study by Darrell Steffensmeier, John Kramer, Cathy Streifel "Gender and Imprisonment Decisions". In their article, the researchers conclude that gender inequality is characteristic of the length of imprisonment: gender influences the decision on the length of imprisonment (Steffensmeier et al.,1993). In the 1980s and 1990s, almost all criminologists abroad recognized the significance of feminist criminology, and Heidensohn Frances emphasized the development and importance of research on women offenders, women as victims of crime, and as participants in social control (Frances,1995). At the beginning of the 20th century, the gender approach in criminology took on more active development, and new aspects of the problem of female crime were revealed. Scholars compared patterns of female and male delinquency, identifying gender differences in the context of the nature of offenses (Steffensmeier, Allan, 2003). Campaniello N., a researcher at the University of Essex (UK), supports the theory of possibilities and comes to two conclusions that are important for us: first, over the past 50 years, parallel with the increase in women's participation in the labor market, female crime has been growing; secondly, men are more responsive to changes in illegal earnings (doubling the expected illicit income increases the crime rate among men by 36% and women by 23%), while no gender differences in response to changes in the probability of arrest have been established (the expected probability of arrest reduces the crime rate by 14% for both sexes) (Campaniello,2019). 20 Thus, the gender approach, which marked the beginning of the development of feminist criminology, allowed Anglo-American researchers to formulate and substantiate new theories of female criminality that explain the causes of female criminal behavior. Based on the identified causes, scholars not only forecast the dynamics of crime development, but also influence decision-making by state authorities in the development and improvement of legislation, conceptual documents aimed at combating and reducing the level of crime. Over the past twenty years legal scholars and criminologists of post-Soviet schools of law, relying on the achievements of Soviet and foreign criminology, have significantly expanded and deepened research on female crime and its individual aspects. In the context of our research problem, of particular interest is the study by N.M. Romanova (Romanova, 2009), devoted to the consideration of the causes of women's crimes through the prism of the gender approach. Another researcher, Kupriyanova A.V. (Kupriyanova,2008) uses the scholarly and theoretical achievements of Soviet and foreign criminology, formulates the concept of "gender criminology" and substantiates the need to use the gender approach in the study of female crime, as well as juvenile delinquency. Special consideration should be given to the scholarly article by M.A. Kachaeva and V.V. Rusina "Gender Aspects of the Features of Aggressive Crimes Committed by Women". The authors identify the features of female criminality, which are closely related to the historically determined place of women in the system of social relations, their social roles (gender), as well as biological and psychological features. (Kachaeva, Rusina,2010). Our special attention was focused on the monograph of criminologists A.E. Nabatova and T.P. Afonchenko "Gender Criminology: Concept, Structure, Content" (Nabatova, Afonchenko, 2020). Based on empirical data, criminologists distinguish an independent branch of criminology – gender criminology, which is aimed at studying the causes, factors, conditions of female crime, as well as its prevention. Despite the rather diverse aspects of the study of female crime, its criminological analysis in the context of the gender approach in the Republic of Kazakhstan has not been carried out, which gives our study relevance and novelty. The purpose of this study is to analyze the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of modern female crime in the Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of the gender approach and, using the example of the most frequently committed types of crime, to develop recommendations aimed at preventing, combating, and reducing female crime. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The dialectical and material methodological basis of the study allows us to comprehensively research the problem of female crime, determine its share in the overall structure of crimes, and identify the causes of female crime. Through general scholarly research methods of synthesis, analysis, data processing, the authors will propose the most effective measures aimed at combating this illegal phenomenon. The empirical basis of the article is represented by the Statistical Indicators of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the condition and dynamics of female crime; statistical compilations submitted by the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan; official data from the World Bank, the International Labor Organization; data published in scholarly sources on women's crime in foreign countries. 21 DISCUSSION In the Republic of Kazakhstan, as in many other countries, the crime rate among women is traditionally lower than among men, although women outnumber men in general population. The latter is confirmed by the main indicators of gender statistics provided by the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Table1). In terms of averages, the percentage of women in the total population of Kazakhstan is 51.7%, men - 48.3%. Table1: Main indicators of gender statistics 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Population, thousand people, 14 14 14865 1485 866, 1495 1507 1521 1539 1557 1598 16203, at the end of the 901,6 ,6 1,1 1,2 4,8 9,3 6,9 1,5 2,4 3 8 year 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 Female 7 7 697, 706, 752, 817, 894, 987, 079, 283, 8 395,3 724,1 705,9 6 6 2 9 5 6 9 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 Male 7 7 153, 160, 199, 256, 324, 409, 491, 698, 7 808,0 177,5 159,7 5 2 0 9 8 3 6 9 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Population, thousand 17 16 1667 1691 1716 415, 1766 1791 1815 1839 1863 1887 1912 people, at the 440,5 3,9 0,2 0,9 9,9 8,2 7,3 5,6 1,8 9,5 2,4 7 end of the year 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Female 8 8 8 8 9 83 515,5 632,2 751,3 876,3 002, 128, 249, 366, 482, 597, 719, 5,6 6 1 7 0 4 6 1 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 Male 7 8 8 8 413, 541, 668, 791, 913, 034, 160, 9 28 925,0 041,8 158,9 284,6 6,8 1 8 5 3 2 1 4 Source: Women and men of Kazakhstan 2017-2021.Statistical Collection. Astana, 2022, 87 p., pp.4-5 The consensus among criminologists is that the gender gap in crime is universal: women are less likely to commit crimes than men in all countries, according to Pennsylvania researchers of gender and crime Darrell Steffensmeier and Emilie Allan, partly explaining this by women's lower susceptibility to focus on material success, minimal influence on women by delinquent peers, and the manifestation of stronger social ties in women, contributing to greater social control and supervision (Steffensmeier, Allan, 2003). However, statistical indicators of the proportion of female criminals in countries vary from 10% to 25%: in the United States - 24.5%, in Germany - 21.4%, Sweden - 18.2%, South Korea - 18.0%, Japan - 17.4%, France - 15.6%. (Alekseeva, 2020). In the Russian Federation, from 1990 to 2012, the share of crime ranged from 10 to 16%, and over the past decade it has been 15-16%. (Vakulenko, 2021). In other words, in every country today there is a so-called gender gap in crime, the existence of which is explained by researchers Campaniello N. and Gavrilova E. by the increase in the commission of crimes by women, as well as by the increase in the percentage of women in prisons (Campaniello, Gavrilova, 2018). In our country, according to the statistical indicators of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan 22 (CLS&SA GP of RK) in the past twenty years the average proportion of crimes committed by men is 88.5 per cent, while the proportion of women who commit crimes averages 11.5 per cent of the total crime rate (see Figure 2), i.e., 2 times lower than in the USA, Germany, Sweden. Figure 2: Proportion of women and men who committed criminal offenses in the Republic of Kazakhstan Source: Compiled by the authors on the basis of Reports of Form No. 1-M "On Registered Criminal Offenses". Section 6. "Information on Persons Who Have Committed Offences" Statistical Indicators of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CLS&SA GP RK)// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics From 2004 to 2014, official statistics show a slight but steady upward trend in the proportion of crimes committed by women, while the same indicators decreased among men. During this period, the number of crimes committed by women increased most sharply in 2009 and 2010, then decreased slightly in 2011, but increased again from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, the maximum proportion of crimes committed by women was 15.5 per cent, compared to 11.6 per cent in 2004. This period of growth in female crime in Kazakhstan can be partly explained by the increase in women's participation in the labor market, which is confirmed by official ILO data, visualized in Figure 3 "Employment-to-population ratio, 15+, % (ILO estimate)". At the same time, not only statistical indicators, but also the theory of possibilities, which we mentioned earlier in the Literature Review, demonstrate a correlation between the increase in crimes committed by women and their increased participation in the labor market. Figure 3: Employment-to-population ratio, 15+, % (ILO estimate) 23 Source: https://genderdata.worldbank.org/ Additionally, the quantitative gap in crime is explained by scholars as related to gender roles. The traditional gender role, which focuses on such socio-cultural indicators as motherhood, marriage, beauty, and sexuality, were factors that hindered female delinquency. (Romanova, 2009). Thus, in modern Kazakh society, with the change in gender roles, as well as the growing trend of women's participation in labor activity, the reverse negative side is manifested – an increase in their representation in criminal activities. Some criminologists (Gilinsky, 2005, Kalashnikov, 2019, Skifsky, 2007, Yuzikhanova,2005), as well as economists (Fedotov,2019), who identify crime factors, use the Gini coefficient to determine the impact of population inequality indicators, which reflect the degree of impact of socio-economic stratification of society on the crime rate. Based on the World Bank's data on the Gini coefficient in the Republic of Kazakhstan (data for Kazakhstan are publicly available only for the period from 2001 to 2018, see Figure 4), as well as visualized indicators of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan Figure 1."Number of crimes committed by women and men in the Republic of Kazakhstan" (Figure 1 above), it is possible to visually confirm the hypothesis that social inequality increases the crime rate in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Obviously, our conclusion is not deep enough nor evidence-based, but it should be taken into account that when the state develops measures aimed at combating female crime, it is necessary to conduct serious research related to the degree of influence of socio-economic inequality on the crime rate, and to take measures aimed at reducing inequality. Figure 4: World Bank data on the Gini coefficient in the Republic of Kazakhstan Gini coefficient (for Kazakhstan) 0,6 0,36 0,39 0,34 0,33 0,31 0,3020,301 0,4 0,2850,2820,28 0,280,2820,2710,270,2680,2720,2750,278 0,2 0 200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018 Source: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=KZ&name_desc=true&view=char 24 There are many other causes and factors of female delinquency, which are identified by criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, political scientists, and economists. However, for each type of criminal act committed by women, there will be individual reasons and factors. Therefore, in order to determine them, serious independent comprehensive research is needed in the context of quantitative and qualitative characteristics inherent in each type of criminal act. Moreover, if we conduct a retrospective analysis of female crime, we can notice a change in the causes of criminal behavior depending on the transformation of historical conditions. The scope of our study allows us only to identify the general qualitative and quantitative indicators of female crime in Kazakhstan, on which we will continue to focus our attention further. From 2015 to the present day, the data "Proportion of women and men who committed criminal offenses in the Republic of Kazakhstan" demonstrate a swinging, but generally downward trend in the share of female crime in Kazakhstan. One of the reasons for the decline in female crime is the adoption of the new Criminal Code of 2014 (Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated July 3, 2014, No. 226-V ZRK), which, along with other codes, has become the basis for a new stage in the improvement of criminal law, criminal procedure, criminal executive, and administrative legal relations. (Sartaeva, 2016). One of the main principles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 2014 was the principle of humanization of criminal legislation, which is manifested in many institutions of criminal law, including the norms governing exemption from criminal liability. Many types of exemption from criminal liability, according to the Kazakh professor S. Rakhmetov, allow our law enforcement agencies and courts not to bring the case to punishment... (Rakhmetov, 2015). In this case, we are talking about the introduction into the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 2014 of paragraph 2 of Article 68 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Exemption from criminal liability in connection with reconciliation", which provides that "minors, pregnant women, women with young children, men raising young children alone, women aged fifty-eight and over, men aged sixty-three and over, first-time offenders who have committed a serious crime that does not involve causing death or grievous bodily harm may be released from criminal liability if they have reconciled with the victim or applicant, including through mediation, and have made amends for the harm caused...." (Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated July 3, 2014, No. 226-V ZRK// https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K1400000226#z282). In this context, the position of Campaniello N. is relevant, emphasizing that, under equal conditions, the treatment of women accused of committing a crime, compared to men, is the most lenient in favor of the female.... (Campaniello, 2019). Furthermore, after the adoption of the new Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, there was a decrease in the number of crimes committed by women in subsequent years from 16,608 in 2014 to 7,864 in 2022. However, the statistics of administrative offences committed by women shows the opposite growth dynamics. Official statistics reported for the last 10 years (Official statistics in the context of gender have been presented by the CLS&SA of GP of RK only since 2012; see Figure 5), show a trend of growth in women's offenses by 5.5 times, against the background of an increase in the total number of administrative offenses by 3.4 times. Figure 5: Number of administrative offenses in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the period from 2010 to 2022. 25 NUMBE R O F A DMI NI ST RAT I VE O FFE NSES I N T HE RE PUBLI C O F K A ZA K HSTA N FO R T HE PE RI O D F RO M 2 0 1 0 TO 2 0 2 2 . Total registered administrative offenses committed by women 8795325 9245192 7322159 6084055 5077564 2904004 2675450 3288055 3695136 4141918 4033714 4125238 1352186 333294 318458 407257 434606 448869 480623 641153 914238 1107688 1831890 1842789 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 1 3 2 0 1 4 2 0 1 5 2 0 1 6 2 0 1 7 2 0 1 8 2 0 1 9 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 1 2 0 2 2 Source: Compiled by the authors on the basis of the Reports of the form No. 1-AD "On the results of consideration by the authorized bodies of cases of administrative offenses". Statistical Indicators of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CLS&SA GP RK)// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics Moreover, the ongoing process of humanization of the criminal legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan was accompanied by the fact that in 2017 the articles "Intentional infliction of minor bodily harm" and "Battery" from the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan were moved to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to the statistics below (see Table 2), the number of administrative offenses related to intentional infliction of minor bodily harm committed by women almost tripled from 2017 to 2022, and the number of cases of battery inflicted by women doubled from 2018 to 2022. Table 2. Number of registered administrative offenses" 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Total administrative offenses registered 4 125 238 5 077 564 6084055 7 322 159 8 795 325 9 245 192 in the reporting period Administrative offences committed by 480 623 641 153 914 238 1 107 688 25 339 1842789 women Article 73. Unlawful Acts in the Sphere 1 076 1 064 1 181 1 147 1 417 1 253 of Family and Domestic Relations (Committed by Women) Article 73-1. Intentional infliction of 1 514 3 005 3 116 2 850 3 624 4 144 minor bodily harm (committed by women) Article 73-2. Battery 0 879 1 038 1 068 1 563 1 706 (Committed by women) Article 73-3. Defamation (committed by 0 0 0 90 277 315 women) Source: Compiled by the authors on the basis of Reports of Form No. 1-AD "On the Results of Consideration of Cases of Administrative Offenses by Authorized Bodies". Statistical Indicators of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CLS&SA GP RK)// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics The overall picture of female delinquency consists of two interrelated components: quantitative and qualitative characteristics. In turn, according to the authoritative Kazakh criminologist E.O. Alaukhanov, it is "the analysis of qualitative signs over a long period of time that helps to reveal real trends and patterns of crime" (Alaukhanov, 2004). The qualitative analysis of crime is revealed through the analysis of the structure (determination of the proportions of various types of crimes) and the nature of criminal acts (the degree of public danger). 26 So, let us determine the percentage of different types of crimes for which women are most often convicted. An analysis of the official statistical indicators of convicted women in the Republic of Kazakhstan gives an idea of the most frequently committed crimes by women for the period from 2000 to 2021. The Table 3 "Number of convicted women by the most frequently committed types of crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan" and the Figure 6 "Ranking of convicted women by type of crime in the Republic of Kazakhstan", compiled by the author on the basis of data from the CLS&SA GP RK, show that women are most often convicted of fraud, theft, as well as drug-related crimes. Table 3: Number of convicted women by the most frequently committed types of crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The number of convicted women for the most frequently committed types of crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan // Compiled by the author according to the data of the CLS&SA GP RK // https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics 2000 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Fraud 4,9 9,5 12 14,6 19,3 18 19,8 17,8 19,7 24,3 24 21,8 20,5 20,7 20,8 23,9 26,8 1st place Theft 17,4 27,7 14,6 15,8 15,3 15 19,2 19,1 19,2 15 10,3 9,8 12,3 11,5 14,2 19,3 19,9 2nd place Drug-related 28,2 14 22,4 17,5 11,3 10,6 8,7 8,5 6,3 6,7 6,9 7 6,3 6,9 4,9 4,6 5,3 3rd offences place Intentional 1,2 1,4 2,8 2,5 2,3 2,5 2,5 5,5 4 3,1 6,9 8 8,3 9,6 11,1 10,1 7,9 4th infliction of place grievous bodily harm Robbery 3,4 4,6 5,4 7,3 6,7 6,4 7 8,8 6,8 5,6 2,6 2,9 3,1 2,2 2,4 2 0,9 5th place Premeditated 1,7 1,8 3,6 3 3 2,4 3,1 3,7 2,7 2,6 2,1 2,5 2,8 2,5 2,6 2 2,2 6th murder and place attempted murder Hooliganism 2,9 3,7 2,6 2,7 2,2 2,3 2,1 1,7 2,6 2,4 1,4 1,1 1 0,8 0,8 0,3 0,2 7th place Taking a bribe 0,2 0,3 1,1 1,2 0,8 0,7 0,7 1,3 2,1 1,2 1,4 0,7 1 1,6 1,2 1,1 0,6 8th place Violation of 1 1,1 0,9 0,7 0,5 0,5 0,5 1,1 1,6 3,2 1,6 4,8 1,8 1,9 9th traffic safety place rules and operation of vehicles Violent Robbery 1 1,3 1,3 0,8 0,8 0,9 1,1 1,5 1 0,6 0,3 0,4 0,6 0,4 0,5 0,2 0,1 10th place Extortion 0,7 0,6 0,7 0,3 0,3 0 0,3 0,3 0,2 0,4 0,2 0,3 0,1 0,2 11th place Rape 0 0 0 0 0,1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0,04 0 0 12th place Other 39,7 35,7 32,5 32,9 36,6 40,2 35 31,6 35,2 37 42,2 42,5 42,1 43,5 36,3 34,6 33,8 Total, as a 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 percentage So urce: Compiled by the authors according to the data of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CLS&SA GP RK)// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics Figure 6: Ranking of convicted women by type of crime in the Republic of Kazakhstan 27 Ranking of convicted women by type of crime in the Republic of Kazakhstan 400 200 0 2000 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Source: The ranking was carried out by the authors using the construction of a grouped Table 3 "Number of convicted women by the most frequently committed types of crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan". Similar most common types of crime, such as theft, fraud and drug-related crimes, are also committed by women in the United States, England, Wales and Italy (see Figure 7). (Campaniello, 2019). Figure 7: In the US, England and Wales, and Italy, women tend to commit mostly property crimes, 2009. Source: by Campaniello, N. Women in crime. IZA World of Labor 2019: 105 doi: 10.15185/izawol. 105.v2 Before turning to the analysis of the main types of crimes for which women are most often convicted in Kazakhstan, it should be noted that from 2000 to 2021, against the background of an overall decrease in the number of convicted women, there is a 6.5-fold increase in the number of women convicted for intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, a 3-fold increase in the number of women convicted for taking a bribe, and the number of women convicted for premeditated murder and attempted murder increased by 1.3 times. This indicates an increase in the social danger of women's crimes. 28 Let us also refer to the statistical data related to the categories of crimes committed by women and men, in particular, to the visualized statistical indicators given in the figure 8 "Number of women who committed criminal offenses in the Republic of Kazakhstan (by category)" and in the figure 9 "Number of men who committed criminal offenses in the Republic of Kazakhstan (by category)". An analysis of the number of women who have committed criminal offences in the Republic of Kazakhstan, depending on the degree of public danger, shows an increase in serious crimes, while the number of similar crimes committed by men tends to decrease. On the whole, other categories of crimes indicate that the dynamics of female crime repeats the vector of development of crime in Kazakhstan as a whole: most often both women and men commit crimes of medium and minor gravity, which tend to increase, while particularly serious crimes tend to decrease among both men and women. Figure 8/9: Number of women who committed criminal offenses in the Republic of Kazakhstan (by category) and number of men who committed criminal offenses in the Republic of Kazakhstan (by category)" Source: Compiled by the authors according to the data of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Accounts of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CLS&SA GP RK)// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics Next, we will dwell in more detail on crimes against property committed by women in the Republic of Kazakhstan (using the example of fraud and theft) and propose measures aimed at combating these illegal acts. Fraud is the most common type of crime among women in the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 2000 to 2021, there was a steady increase in the number of women convicted of fraud in the Republic of Kazakhstan by 5.4 times (see Figure 10). 29 Figure 10. The number of women convicted for the most frequently committed types of crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The number of women convicted for the most frequently committed 50 types of crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan LATO TF 28,2 27,7 O 24,3 24 23,9 26,8 22,4 E 19,3 21,8 G 17,4 17,5 18 19,8 19,2 17,8 19,1 19,7 20,5 20,7 20,8 19,2 19,3 19,9 A 14 14,6 15,8 15,3 15 15 T 9,5 12 14,6 11,3 10,6 10,3 8,7 9,8 12,3 11,5 14,2 8,5 8 8,3 9,6 11,1 10,1 N 4,9 6,3 6,7 6,9 7 6,3 6,9 4,9 7,9 3,4 4,6 5,4 7,3 6,7 6,4 7 8,8 6,8 5,6 4,6 5,3 CE 0 1,2 1,4 2,8 2,5 2,3 2,5 2,5 5,5 4 3,1 2,6 2,9 3,1 2,2 2,4 2 0,9 R 2000 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 PE ГОДЫ Fraud Theft Drug-related crimes Intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm Source: Compiled by the authors based on the data of the CLS&SA GP RK // https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics). The peak in the number of women convicted of fraud was reached in 2021, amounting to 26.8% of the total number of crimes committed by women, compared to 4.9% in 2000. The example of Adler's position that if a woman works as a clerk in a bank, this can lead to the commission of bank fraud (Adler, 1975), confirms, as does the theory of possibilities, that an increase in women's participation in the labor market leads to an increase in criminal acts committed by women. This is evidenced by the official data on "Employment-to-population ratio, 15+, % (ILO estimate) » (see Figure 3 above) showing the increase in women's employment, and the statistics presented in the table 3. " Number of convicted women by the most frequently committed types of crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan ", confirming the increase in the number of women convicted of fraud. Thus, in Kazakhstan, at least until 2019 (the period of the pandemic), it is possible to trace a correlation between the increase in women's participation in the labor market and the increase in female fraud. However, during the COVID-19 period, labor market indicators show a decline in women's employment, with a further increase in women convicted of fraud. Moreover, over the past five years, there has been a sharp increase in this relatively new type of Internet fraud in the overall category of fraud. According to criminologists Bezborodov D.A., Gilinsky Y.I., Zarubin A.Y., Kravchenko R.M., Kraev D.Yu., Lyubavin M.A., Popov A.N., Fedyshin P.V., this is explained by the fact that the "consumption society" demands a continuous increase in spending on various types of purchases. Since not everyone manages to make money legally, and while theft or robbery on the streets is risky and not very effective, illegal "earning" with the help of a computer is both convinient and profitable. According to some reports, the total damage from cybercrime in the world exceeds 120 billion US dollars per year. Thus, significant changes in the dynamics and structure of crime will inevitably continue in our unfamiliar new world, which should be the subject of the most thorough scholarly research. 30 American researchers Pratt, Holtfreter, and Reisig, using a representative sample of 922 adults, conducted a survey in Florida, U.S. that proved that the results of regression models are consistent with previous studies, specifically that sociodemographic characteristics shape everyday online activities (e.g., spending time on the Internet and making online purchases). Moreover, researchers demonstrated that indicators of routine online activity predict the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on the likelihood of becoming a victim of online fraud (Pratt, Holtfreter, Reisig, 2010). Today, in the Western criminology, several theories have been developed to explain the increase in crime, which are relevant to COVID-19. One theory partially explains the situation with the increase in female fraud both during and after the pandemic. This is the routine activities theory, according to which "COVID-19 restrictions are reducing crime in public places... Mobility is also decreasing, while the use of online communications is increasing, leading to an increase in online crime and a decrease in offline crime (Hoeboer, Kitselaar, Henrich, 2023). Thus, the positions of researchers of various schools of criminological thought confirm the inevitable trend of the growth of Internet fraud based on the theory of routine (everyday) activities, which in the context of the pandemic is becoming even more relevant. The second most common type of crime among women is theft, which, like fraud, is a crime against property. The proportion of women convicted of theft fluctuates slightly over the years (17.4% in 2000 and 19.9% in 2021), but generally remains within relatively stable limits, in contrast to the proportion of women convicted of fraud, the percentage of which has increased 5.5 times over 20 years. At the same time, over the past six years, the total number of theft crimes committed by women has decreased by almost 2.5 times (see Table 4). Table 4: Information on the number of women who have committed theft. 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Theft (Article 188 of the 6573 5723 5517 3875 3006 2666 Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan) Source: Compiled by the authors on the basis of statistical reports submitted by the CLS&SA GP RK "Report No. 1-M. On registered criminal offences. Section 6. Information on Persons who Have Committed Offences"// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics However, neither the number of women who have committed theft nor the number of women convicted of theft gives a complete picture of the extent of the crime. According to an international survey of victimization in Kazakhstan (Assessment of the level of public safety and trust in law enforcement agencies, 2018), only 66% of victims reported theft of a vehicle, only 32% of theft of items from a vehicle or parts of a vehicle, 56% of motorcycle theft, 30% of bicycle theft, 49% of cattle theft, 53% of burglary, and 26% of theft of personal property, which confirms the high latency of this type of crime (see Table 5). The situation is aggravated by the fact that the victims of theft themselves do not take proper measures to preserve their property. Table 5: Proportion of crime victims in Kazakhstan and two major cities who reported the latest incident to the police Kazakhstan Astana Almaty All crime 21 28 27 31 Car theft 66 54 78 Theft from the car or 32 40 31 car parts outside Motorcycle theft 56 100 84 Bicycle theft 30 44 38 Cattle theft 49 54 21 Source: Table from "Assessment of the level of public security and trust in law enforcement agencies". Astana, 2018. – 66 p. – p.20. At the same time, the compensation of damages rate averages 43% ( 32 billion tenge out of 57 billion tenge over 5 years), which creates reasons for the population to express dissatisfaction with the work of the police (Project. Concept of Public Safety in Partnership with Society for 2024 – 2028, 2023). The same conclusion is confirmed by the data of an international survey assessing the level of security in Kazakhstan, according to which 44% of the surveyed victims of crimes, who reported them to the police, were very dissatisfied with the actions of the police. Table 6: Level of satisfaction with police actions among victims of crimes who reported them to the police Completely rather rather very don’t satisfied satisfied dissatisfied dissatisfied know/don’t remember All crime 20 12 21 44 3 Car theft Theft from the car 35 25 21 17 1 or car parts outside Motorcycle theft 13 13 18 54 1 Bicycle theft 59 17 3 21 0 Cattle theft 38 6 25 29 1 Break-in 9 21 9 55 6 Source: Table from: "Assessment of the level of public security and trust in law enforcement agencies". Astana, 2018. – 66 p. – p.22. Accordingly, the state needs to take measures aimed at combating the latency of crimes, as well as increasing the level of public confidence in law enforcement agencies by improving the quality of their work. In presenting the criminological characteristics of crime, it is important to assess not only the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the crimes of the type under consideration, but also of the persons who committed these crimes. Another measure aimed at both preventing and combating female crime is the compilation of a profile of a typical female offender. Having information of the average age of a female offender, the state should take comprehensive measures aimed at working with women in this age bracket. Statistical data presented in the table 7 "Composition of convicts who committed theft" allowed to determine the typical statistical profile of a person who committed theft in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Age: between 21 and 39 years old; education – secondary; the main occupation of the offender at the time of committing of the criminal offences: unemployed and not a student. Table 7: Composition of convicts who committed theft 32 Form No. 11. Report on the composition of convicts who have Composition of convicts who committed criminal committed theft offences Table A to Age Education n e o ) ly edt rs rs rs rs rs rs h red l) i d hos 9 us e o t 3 ry o ug t o r n i e rs v yea yea yea yea yea yea let n a r r ret wh m Name 7 0 9 9 9 9 lde p oi nd cho hrot a a cep re d edt d Convic yea 1 2 2 3 4 5 o m t l) s ( ll ll ng ns x lo p a ervic ) s l en 5 h edt o e ) t a o o o o o o d co ent na ( co 7 cte cte 1 t eco g ry i t t t t t t co nd nco uca o a ra n 3 i ci ry o i s i ud o a Hi ers y i rs rs rs rs rs rs t g uca r. nv a nv a T Wom p t t ed ed ( nd lue St ncludi p ud g o li rs rs nd z ca h t B i ( i yea yea yea yea yea a o ry White , t ed co C li 9 ned ed s i yea v a eco i f Inca m 6 8 1 0 0 0 yea her g a ( s U d r o yea 1 1 2 3 4 5 0 her ci nd r hers eci hem In 4 hi t ob k p t 6 1 m m m m m m g O - s f Hi Spe we le o rof rof rof rof rof rof Seco Lo b wor a a 1 2 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Year 2022 ALTOGETHER Theft (art.188 p.1) 1839 258 10 64 585 652 411 89 28 103 179 1512 41 4 99 2 12 60 1647 549 1 17 1 Theft (art.188 p.2) 446 58 1 10 46 186 132 53 15 3 23 46 355 21 1 53 3 9 42 337 63 2 Theft (art.188 p.3) 5703 286 24 93 531 2035 1911 881 185 43 279 466 4723 230 5 297 12 115 199 5022 1518 5 46 7 Theft (art.188 p.4) 167 7 5 68 69 15 9 1 21 11 130 4 1 12 2 15 138 32 Year 2021 Theft (art.188 p.1) 1855 292 10 95 592 707 354 76 21 98 162 1516 74 5 86 1 11 86 1659 559 2 9 1 Theft (art.188 p.2) 377 41 1 7 36 163 121 31 13 5 24 44 290 18 1 30 2 5 29 311 56 Theft (art.188 p.3) 5276 243 36 80 405 1908 1824 790 206 27 185 478 4356 246 11 260 2 100 192 4663 1770 2 54 3 Theft (art.188 p.4) 213 11 1 1 6 76 87 30 10 2 35 21 154 3 17 3 1 19 172 52 1 Year 2020 Theft (art.188 p.1) 1223 189 5 75 362 469 235 60 17 64 123 997 38 1 81 4 6 49 1076 365 2 5 Theft (art.188 p.2) 742 48 6 17 70 335 209 81 22 2 24 58 618 40 2 64 23 36 613 186 6 Theft (art.188 p.3) 5074 268 36 66 391 1945 1705 723 176 32 138 439 4208 282 7 229 4 104 154 4504 1516 5 72 2 Theft (art.188 p.4) 227 7 1 3 95 92 25 9 2 37 16 171 3 10 1 1 31 183 51 1 Year 2019 Theft (art.188 p.1) 698 128 3 47 249 251 105 39 4 39 81 554 24 49 2 4 46 596 186 1 Theft (art.188 p.2) 1676 103 11 17 168 679 540 217 40 4 44 161 1372 95 4 100 1 30 70 1474 584 1 Theft (art.188 p.3) 1972 113 12 32 168 784 661 254 52 9 80 154 1665 71 2 76 6 35 83 1770 691 1 1 Theft (art.188 p.4) 244 16 1 13 96 94 30 10 26 21 188 9 13 1 15 213 60 2 Year 2018 Theft (art.188 p.1) 979 183 2 71 332 369 148 50 7 35 97 802 45 66 18 3 44 846 212 1 Theft (art.188 p.2) 2457 131 16 32 249 1013 795 283 58 11 61 238 1999 157 2 137 30 41 110 2133 684 2 1 3 Theft (art.188 p.3) 898 43 1 7 63 442 272 88 22 3 67 85 721 22 3 67 15 5 66 739 161 2 2 Theft (art.188 p.4) 349 10 1 5 13 154 114 47 15 59 31 254 5 27 18 4 26 272 75 1 Year 2017 Theft (art.188 p.1) 1049 192 6 67 348 404 155 59 10 34 116 839 58 2 82 24 6 25 906 186 1 1 1 Theft (art.188 p.2) 2861 156 17 39 298 1230 880 302 86 9 64 314 2266 215 2 142 46 36 41 2585 763 3 1 Theft (art.188 p.3) 1019 65 5 18 85 502 263 108 30 8 64 94 827 33 1 68 20 11 50 862 202 1 1 Theft (art.188 p.4) 359 10 2 2 23 178 111 36 7 50 41 262 6 26 20 5 20 278 67 1 Year 2016 Theft (art.188 p.1) 724 169 9 50 269 251 101 38 6 23 83 565 52 1 37 15 5 24 639 81 1 Theft (art.188 p.2) 2143 116 8 39 232 989 625 188 55 7 55 247 1655 185 1 107 27 25 30 1943 379 1 1 1 Theft (art.188 p.3) 805 39 2 12 90 405 200 79 16 1 55 64 659 26 1 43 20 13 15 708 120 1 Theft (art.188 p.4) 279 10 3 29 139 81 21 6 31 24 215 9 12 8 3 19 233 41 Source: Data for 2016-2022 are presented by the author by sampling from Form No. 11. Report on the composition of convicts who committed criminal offenses of the CLS&SA of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan// https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics 34 Even though men commit theft more often than women, the factors leading to the commission of the crime are practically the same (see Figure 11). Figure 11: Composition of convicts who committed theft (Article 188, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan) 1563 1581 1034 857 796 555 570 169 192 183 128 189 292 258 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 men women Source: Compiled by the authors based on the data of the CLS&SA GP RK // https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics). Therefore, the typical profile of a person who has committed a theft would be common for women and men. The general nature of this profile is also confirmed by the analytical data on the categories of crimes given above. Overall, a typical profile of a person who has committed a theft can help develop strategies to prevent and investigate theft and other crimes. However, for a more detailed typical description of a person who committed a particular type of crime, we would offer the following structural components detailing his or her overall description: - socio-demographic characteristics: gender, age, place of residence, education, marital status, employment status; - criminal and legal characteristics: criminal record, type of offense, aggravating factors, reasons for committing the offense; - psychological characteristics: sanity, intellectual qualities, temperament, etc. Thus, it is necessary to improve official legal statistics in order to solve not only the problem of the increased number of theft crimes, but also to prevent other types of crimes committed by women in Kazakhstan. Drug-related offences are the third most common committed crime among women in the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 2000 to 2021, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of women convicted for drug-related crimes in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In terms of the severity of drug-related offences, misdemeanors and serious crimes are the most common offenders committed by men and women (see Figures 12,13). Figure 12: Information on the number of women who have committed criminal offences related to illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic or poisonous substances, their analogues and precursors Information on the number of women who have committed criminal offences related to illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic or poisonous substances, their analogues and precursors 400 300 200 100 0 2015 г 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Low severity Moderate severity Serious Especially grave Misdemeanors Total Source: Compiled by the authors based on the data of the CLS&SA GP RK // https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics). Figure 12: Information on the number of men who have committed criminal offences related to illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic or poisonous substances, their analogues and precursors Information on the number of men who have committed criminal offences related to illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic or poisonous substances, their analogues and precursors ... 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 г 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Low severity Moderate severity Serious Especially grave Misdemeanors Total Source: Compiled by the authors based on the data of the CLS&SA GP RK // https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics). In recent years, there has been a downward trend in the number of women who have committed criminal offences while under the influence of narcotic drugs, psychotropic toxicants, and their analogues (see Table 8). 36 Table 8: Information on persons who committed criminal offenses under the influence narcotic drugs, psychotropic toxicants, and their analogues, precursors who were registered with the internal affairs bodies 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 1 Total offences 1630 1708 1570 1347 1356 1120 764 committed under the influence of drugs and toxic substances 2 Of these, committed 45 53 31 33 18 26 22 by women 3 Total diagnosed with 341 294 201 166 159 147 132 drug addiction 4 Of these, women 40 31 15 15 11 16 19 Source: Compiled by the authors based on the data of the CLS&SA GP RK on completed cases/ https://qamqor.gov.kz/crimestat/statistics Official statistics show positive changes in the fight against drug addiction and the impact of institutional and legal measures aimed at preventing such crimes among women. To date, the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan has fourteen elements of crimes aimed at combating drug offences (articles: 218, 262, 263, 264, 265, 286, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan). Since 1998, the Law "On Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, Their Analogues and Precursors and Measures to Counteract Their Illicit Trafficking and Abuse" has been in force in Kazakhstan. In addition to the Act, such policy documents as Presidential Decree No. 394 of 16 May 2000 "On the Strategy for Combating Drug Addiction and Drug Trafficking in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2001-2005" were adopted. It was repealed by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated June 18, 2009 No. 829 and replaced by the Decree on "On the Strategy for Combating Drug Addiction and Drug Trafficking in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2006-2014", and supported by the Program for Combating Drug Addiction and Drug Dealing in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2009-2011, the Sectoral Program for Combating Drug Addiction and Drug Dealing in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2012-2016, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated November 29, 2010 No. 1113 "On Approval of the State Healtcare Development Program of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Salamatty Kazakhstan" for 2011 – 2015". Since 2016, there were no new sectoral state programs to combat the mentioned crimes but measures were taken to give the Government the control over all dangerous types of synthetic substances and their analogues, and in 2021, "synthetics" were classified as hard drugs, the criminal liability for possession of which begins from 1 gram. However, since 2021, there has been an increase in offenses related to narcotic substances, and in 2023, the Government again adopts the document of the secondary legislation level "Comprehensive Plan for Combating Drug Addiction and Drug Dealing in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2023-2025" (Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated June 29, 2023 No. 508), which provides for the allocation of 53.1 billion tenge from the budget, including almost 367 million tenge of the funds of the State State-Owned Enterprise "Center for Forensic Examinations" of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the context of our research, it should be noted that the practice of developing and implementing medium-term anti-drug state programs has a positive influence, as it reduces the level of this type of crime in Kazakhstan among both women and men. In this regard, the theory of social control over crime (in particular, drug-related crime) applied by the state is justified, according to Professor Y.I. Gilinsky, considered in a narrow sense, as a set of legal means and methods aimed at influencing unlawful behavior in order to prevent, minimize, reduce or eliminate it (Gilinsky, 2015). In other words, the successful state policy of combating drug addiction in the Republic of Kazakhstan is based on the concept of social control over drug crime. 37 In the research literature, such control is also called legal control, or control over crime, which includes such structural components as the content of crime, the establishment of responsibility for crime, the creation of state bodies and granting them special authority to combat crime, prevent and reduce crime, the mechanisms of non-state control over crime and the establishment of cooperation of non-governmental agents with state authorities in order to strengthen the social prevention mechanisms, etc.. Shopina I.N., Mulyavka D.G., Grechanyuk S.K., and Fedchishina V.V. formulate the main tasks of transforming the existing models of social control being the prevention of crime. They also emphasize the importance of national and regional crime prevention programs, which, along with legal acts, are the normative basis for social control over crime (Shopina et al., 2019). Once again emphasizing the importance of the measures taken by state bodies in this direction, it is necessary to focus on their shortcomings: - The measures are legally punitive but not preventive; - The public and non-governmental organizations are poorly involved in the prevention of drug abuse; - There is no program for the compulsory treatment of drug addicts; - We can also agree with the position of Y.L. Kazarinov, who proposed to intensify the fight "not only against the illegal production of narcotic drugs and their trade, but also against certain negative phenomena that nourish and support such criminal activity" (Kazarinov, 2000). CONCLUSION Let us summarize the results of the analysis of women's crime in the Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of the gender approach: - The data show that the proportion of female crime in the overall structure is relatively constant, which confirms the existence of a gender gap; - Prior to the adoption of the new Criminal Code, the proportion of women who committed criminal offences was demonstrating an upward trend, which can be partly explained by the increase in women's participation in the labor market, as well as by socio-economic, psychological and other reasons. The increase in the number of women's crimes is accompanied by a reduction in the gender gap in the labor market; - The trend towards convergence of gender and social roles is narrowing the gap between female and male crime; - After the entry into force of the new Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, there has been a sharp decrease in the number of women's crimes, which was partly a consequence of the humanization of criminal legislation; - The further process of decriminalization of criminal legislation has led to a significant increase in the number of administrative offences committed by women. - A qualitative description of the general structure of modern female crime in the Republic of Kazakhstan indicates that: - Over the past 20 years, women have been the most frequently convicted of fraud, theft and drug-related offences; - The increase in the number of women convicted of intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, premeditated murder and attempted murder indicates a trend towards an increase in the public danger of female crime; The dynamics of female crime, depending on the degree of danger to society, is close to that of men, which is confirmed by the most frequent commission of crimes of medium and minor gravity, which tend to increase, as well as by the decrease in particularly serious crimes in both gender categories. Official statistics of convicted women in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the period from 2000 to 2021 show that women are most often convicted of crimes against property: fraud and theft. An analysis of crimes against property, which are most often committed by women in the Republic of Kazakhstan, allowed us to formulate the following conclusions: 38 - Before the pandemic, there was a correlation between the increase in women's participation in the labor market and the increase in female fraud; - During the COVID-19 period, labor market indicators in Kazakhstan show a decrease in female employment with a further increase in women convicted of fraud; - The pandemic has demonstrated that in the face of threats or challenges, the structure of crime can change, which requires not only serious additional research, but also the prompt adoption of comprehensive measures to respond to such challenges; - The routine activities theory, developed by representatives of Anglo-American criminological school, partially explains the growth of female fraud in the pandemic and post-pandemic periods; - An analysis of theft crimes committed by women shows that there is a high degree of latency, the prevention of which requires increasing the level of public confidence in law enforcement agencies by improving the quality of their work; - A typical profile of the theft offender can help develop strategies to prevent and investigate theft and other crimes. However, for a more detailed typical description of a person who has committed a particular crime, it is necessary to improve official legal statistics. Drug-related crimes are the third most committed crime among women in the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the same time, over the past 20 years, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of women convicted of drug-related offences in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which repeats an identical trend among men. The severity levels of drug-related offences are also similar: misdemeanors and serious crimes are more likely to be committed by both men and women. The level of this type of crime in Kazakhstan, both among women and men, is reduced by the practice of developing and implementing medium-term anti-drug state programs. 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