A MOVEMENT TO ACHIEVE CRIME-FREE DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITIES IS ACTIVELY GROWING UP WITHIN THE REPUBLIC OF BYELORUSSIA, ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS. THIS MOVEMENT BEGAN WITH PEOPLE'S VOLUNTEER BRIGADES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF SOCIAL ORDER, VOLUNTEER GROUPS WHICH WORK WITH THE MILITIA (A TERM EQUIVALENT TO 'POLICE').IT EXPANDED TO INCLUDE COMRADES' COURTS, CRIME PREVENTION COUNCILS IN INDUSTRIES, AND OTHER CITIZENS' VOLUNTEER GROUPS. TODAY THIS MOVEMENT COVERS 80 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION CENTERS IN THE BYELORUSSIAN REPUBLIC AND IS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT THAT, IN 88 PERCENT OF THE VITEBSK REGION POPULATION CENTERS, NOT A SINGLE CRIME WAS REPORTED IN 1976; IN THE GOMEL, MINSK, AND MOGILEV REGIONS, 77-79 PERCENT OF THE DISTRICTS WERE CRIME-FREE. ALMOST ALL OF THE CRIME IN THIS AREA IS DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND ALCOHOL IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. AN INTENSIVE ATTACK HAS BEEN MOUNTED ON THE ABUSE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITH PROSECUTION OF THOSE WHO ILLEGALLY MANUFACTURE AND SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND INTENSIVE REHABILITATION EFFORTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BECOME ADDICTED. A MAJOR REASON FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE CRIME-PREVENTION EFFORT IS THAT THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF CRIME WHICH EXISTED IN THE REPUBLIC BEFORE 1940 HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED. FULL EMPLOYMENT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. LITERACY HAS STEADILY RISEN. ORGANIZED GANGS HAVE BEEN BROKEN UP, AND THE LAST RECORDED INSTANCE OF ORGANIZED BANDITRY WAS IN 1964. NO CRIMES OF KIDNAPPING, BURGLARY, AND AIRCRAFT HIJACKING ARE REPORTED; OFFICIAL CRIMES AGAINST THE STATE SUCH AS VIOLATIONS OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY REGULATIONS, COUNTERFEITING, OR VIOLATIONS OF CURRENCY REGULATIONS ARE RARELY REPORTED. THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT IS CONSIDERED AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS CRIME REDUCTION. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE LOCAL SOVIETS OF WORKING PEOPLE'S DEPUTIES IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPERVISING RECENTLY RELEASED OFFENDERS. THIS GROUP FINDS THE OFFENDER A JOB AND CLOSELY SUPERVISES SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS. IF THE CRIMINAL DOES NOT PRESENT ANY GREAT DANGER TO SOCIETY AND IS SINCERELY REPENTANT, HE MAY, AT THE REQUEST OF A PUBLIC ORGANIZATION OR COLLECTIVE, BE RELIEVED OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY AND RELEASED ON PROBATION FOR REFORM AND REHABILITATION TO THE ORGANIZATION OR COLLECTIVE MAKING THE REQUEST. THE COMRADES' COURTS FUNCTION AS NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTERS FOR MINOR CRIMES WHICH CAN BE SETTLED BY MEANS OF SOCIAL PRESSURE. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF CRIME PREVENTION IN THE BYELORUSSIAN SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC. (GLR)