Research, Policy and Practice
Table 1 Findings from interviews on livestock theft (questions 3–8)
From: The problems of livestock theft in Tuva: History and modernity (ethnic and legal aspects)
Q. 3: In your opinion, what is the main reason(s) of livestock thefts? | |
A.1) (53 respondents) lack of proper legislative regulation obliging livestock breeders and authorities to organize (and regulate organization issues) grazing, accounting, labeling, chipping (lack of legislative regulation) | |
A.2) (10 respondents) problems of interaction between local self-government bodies and law enforcement agencies | |
Q. 4: Under what conditions are livestock thefts most common? | |
Unified answer: lack of supervision, lack of fencing of pastures | |
Q. 5: What are the features of persons engaged in livestock theft in the Republic of Tuva? (All the respondents gave the similar response, with a slight deviation in terms of age) | |
Age—from about 14 to 35 years old | |
Gender—male | |
Marital status—not married | |
Social status (according to the criterion of residence)—rural residents | |
Source of income—livestock | |
34 respondents named the absence of parental care in childhood and a descent from financially disadvantaged (poor) families among the additional characteristics of the cattle thief | |
Q.6: What is the motive for committing livestock thefts? | |
A.1) (63 respondents) - getting financial gain | |
A.2) (32 respondents) - an attempt to assert himself in society (as an additional motive) | |
Q.7: Where is livestock meat sold after theft? | |
A. 1) (54 respondents) - through accomplices (“agents”) | |
A. 2) (35 respondents) - through wholesale and retail outlets | |
A. 3) (26 respondents) - via social networks, online applications |