DEVELOPMENT

Figure 2.6.5
Development factors related to the rule of law in Estonia and some reference countries
Finland Austria Estonia Czech Republic Hungary
0,9
0,8
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,9
0,8
0,7
0,6
0,5
Development factors
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0,0
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0,0
Restrictions on the
power of the government
Elimination of
corruption
Order and
security
Protection of
fundamental rights
Transparent
governance
Obedience
to the law
Civil rights
Criminal rights
Source: World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2012
The sense of security of Estonia’s population is higher
than in the other Baltic states, but is lower than in the
welfare states.
In the 2011 World Gallup survey, the results of
which were published in August 2012, the answer options
were only “yes” or “no”, and therefore, the results differ
from the data of the victims survey mentioned above.
However, it still enables us to compare the sense of security
in Estonia with the reference states (Figure 2.6.4).
The institutional basis for the increasing of the sense
of security is the existence of the strong rule of law. Based
on a comparison of the world’s states, and on the development
level of the rule of law, Estonia gets relatively good
marks. Compared to the other post-Communist states,
and the more successful transition states in Latin America,
the development level of the rule is better, and closer
to the Nordic model. However, based on specific indicators,
we still have room for improvement (Figure 2.6.5).
This pattern is characterised by transparent governance,
protection of the citizenry’s fundamental rights, law
enforcement authorities with good reputations, a low
level of corruption related to the public authority, clarity
related to the limits of executive power, independent oversight
of the lawfulness of the execution of power, and the
law obedience of officials and the population.
There is no automatic connection between the institutional
development of the rule of law and the population’s
sense of security. In the case of the sense of security,
an important role is played by factors related to the social
and material environment, starting from family relations
and the general behavioural culture, and ending with
street lighting.
2.6.5
Summary
In Estonia, the highpoint in intentional homicides
occurred in the middle of the 1990s, and thereafter, the
homicide rate has constantly decreased. However, the
indicator still differs significantly from Western Europe
and the Nordic countries. If the current developments
continue, the number of violent crimes in Estonia should
continue to decrease and attain the level that is characteristic
of those states.
Despite the efforts that have been made, the
number of prisoners, which forms the basis for the
assessments of Estonia’s crime control policy, has not
declined sufficiently enough to bring Estonia into line
with Western Europe and the Nordic countries. Based
on prison rates, i.e. the organisation of their crime
control policies, the Baltic states, including Estonia,
are located between two large regions – between two
socio-cultural spaces. In some sense, in this field of
activity, clear and unambiguous choices have not been
made between an Eastern and Western orientation
– choices that have been made successfully in many
other spheres of social life.
The dynamics of the sense of security in Estonia
can be partly explained by the improvement in the
crime situation generally, and by an increased trust
in the police and other law enforcement institutions.
The increase in the sense of security, and the reduction
in the fear of crime, reflect the growth of people’s
social and economic wellbeing, which has taken place
in Estonia during the last 20 years. The population’s
assessments have changed in time, and have become
increasingly similar to those of the old European Union
states, but still differ.
Based on the organising of its legislation, and the
maintenance of public order, Estonia has approached the
rule of law model prevalent in the Nordic countries, and
has moved further away from the model which exists
in the majority of the post-Communist countries. The
relatively low level of our population’s sense of security
indicates that there is a need to devote more time to
dealing with violence and aggression in human relations,
as well as with environmental security at work,
in school and in public places. A separate problem is
the proper assessment and prevention of the possible
dangers and risks.
90
Estonian Human Development Report 2012/2013