THE REPUBLIC’S crime rate has continued the decline witnessed since the start of the recession, with many types of crime showing a reduction in the 12 months to the end of September.
However, burglary rates increased, albeit by a modest 3 per cent.
Serious crime related to the drug trade has fallen significantly, with drug offences down 15 per cent and gun crime down 6 per cent.
Public order crimes, which are often closely related to excessive alcohol and drug consumption, have decreased by 9 per cent in the period under review.
Some Garda sources believe a reduction in the spending power of those who socialise by drinking or taking drugs has meant a drop in consumption, which in turn has reduced crime related to intoxicants.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter welcomed the decreases in most crime types and congratulated Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.
However, he said he was still concerned about the relationship between alcohol consumption and public order offences, with on average 1,000 such offences per week.
“It is the reality that the large quantities of alcohol on display in some supermarkets and convenience stores, and the prominence given to alcohol products, remain a cause for concern.”
Mr Shatter said he was inviting proposals from stakeholders and individuals before reaching any decision on introducing the statutory rules in the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008.
Those rules would effectively formalise a voluntary code of practice around restrictions on the display and sale of alcohol in stores to differentiate it from other products on sale.
In the latest crime statistics published by the Central Statistics Office, drug crime dropped by 13 per cent in the year to the end of September, compared with the previous corresponding period.
Weapons and explosive offences, which include the crimes of discharging or possessing a firearm, dropped by 6 per cent.
Murders fell by 8 per cent, to 48 cases, while dangerous driving causing death dropped by 25 per cent to 21 cases. Public order crimes saw a decrease of 9 per cent. Drink driving cases were down by 18 per cent.
The number of sexual offences reported fell by 21 per cent.
However, most experts working in the field of sexual violence say the number of reported sex crimes is still only a fraction of the offences committed. Many victims are reluctant to report attacks to the Garda.
Apart from burglaries, only two more of the Central Statistics Office’s 15 crime categories have witnessed an increase in the year to the end of September.
Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences increased by 3 per cent. Fraud and deception offences increased by 4 per cent.
The falling crime trends are occurring as the size of the Garda force is being reduced by age-related retirements and early retirements, with departing members not being replaced because of the public sector recruitment moratorium.
The running down of Garda numbers is being opposed by the Garda representative associations. However, they may find it difficult to maintain any potency to their opposition if crime rates continue to fall.
