Ritual and cult crimes and the characteristics of their perpetrators

Abstract

In this paper the criminality aspect of ritual crimes that are the result of accepting the cult value system is discussed. Successfully finding and prosecuting perpetrators of such acts impose requirements of above-average knowledge of context and value system from which perpetrators arise. If there are indications of ritual, sacred or cultic dimensions of a crime application of multidisciplinary criteria, is necessary in order to clearly define the distinction between inauthentic cult milieu (which usually occurs under the influence of the media) and real phenomena which indicate the affiliation of the perpetrator group cult character or value system that can inspire a crime. In paper is also discussed about he attempts of modern democratic societies to establish a better balance between principle of multi-confensionality and dangers of increased misuse of democratic institutions due to development of new technologies such as Internet. This paper presents examples of ritual crimes in the Republic of Serbia and provide practical recommendations aimed at criminological and criminal-methodological approach to this issue.

U radu se razmatra kriminalistički aspekt ritualnih zločina koji su posledica prihvatanja kultnog sistema vrednosti. Uspešno pronalaženje i procesuiranje izvršioca ovakvih dela postavlja zahtev natprosečnog poznavanja konteksta i vrednosnog sistema iz koga nastaju. Ukoliko postoje indikacije ritualne, sakralne ili kultne dimenzije nekog krivičnog dela, neophodna je primena multidisciplinarnih kriterijuma, koji će jasno odrediti distinkciju između neautentičnog kultnog miljea (koji najčešće nastaje pod uticajem medija) i realnih pojava koje ukazuju na pripadnost učinioca grupi kultnog karaktera ili sistemu vrednosti koji može da inspiriše zločin. Navode se pokušaji savremenih demokratskih društava da uspostave bolju ravnotežu između principa multikonfesionalnosti i opasnosti koje nose zloupotrebe demokratskih tekovina koje se zahvaljujući razvoju novih tehnologija poput interneta, sve više uvećavaju. U radu se navode primeri ritualnih zločina u Republici Srbiji i daju praktične preporuke usmerene ka kriminološkom i kriminalističko-metodološkom pristupu ovoj problematici.