CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE WHITE OMSK IN 1918−1919 (AS EXEMPLIFIED IN PERIODICALS)

The article features crime in the White Omsk under the Provisional AllRussian government and the government of the admiral A. V. Kolchak (1918– 1919). The rise in crime in the years of Civil War was caused by the complicated social and economic situation, destruction of habitual social institutes, growing social marginalization and a huge flow of refugees. On the basis of Omsk newspaper publications, main types of crime are allocated. Thefts and profiteering were the most widespread types of offences in the city during this period. Also, the fact that civil population owned a large number of weapons boosted armed robberies. Fraud, counterfeiting and opium dens took place as well. The characteristic feature of crime of that time was large frauds and abuse of authority (the so-called "panamas": "tea panama", "carriage panama"). In spite of the fact that the Omsk militia actively fought crime, they couldn't stop its growth as the continuing civil war strengthened negative social and economic tendencies in social development.