MOSCOW. Feb 29 (Interfax) - Over the past few years Russians have become more law abiding, with most of them still calling for tougher punishment for law offenders, sociologists said.

Three quarters of Russians (77%) said during a February poll by the Public Opinion Fund that they were certain laws should be respected regardless of whether they are good or bad; according to 14% respondents, abiding by law is not necessary.

Since 2001, when Russians were asked the same question, the percentage of those who called for unconditional law abidance has grown: at the time, such a stand was taken by 65% of respondents, while the opposite view was shared by 23% of respondents.

Even more noticeable changes have occurred in these years in the way Russians treat the laws as such, the pollster said. If in 2001 28% of our fellow citizens said the laws are good, in February 2008 44% said the same; the percentage of those who said the country has bad laws reduced from 49% to 36% within seven years.

Two thirds of respondents (66%) believe law enforcement bodies are not doing their job properly, and only 21% said they were good at it. Interestingly, among those who said that Russian laws are good, 35% rate the work of law enforcement bodies as positive and 55% as negative

According to sociologists, most Russians still believe that tougher punishment is needed for law offenders: 48% respondents (55% in 2001). Only 6% (9% in 2001) call for softer punishment; others either said changes are unnecessary or could not answer.

The poll was conducted in 100 towns across 46 Russian regions among 1,500 respondents.