Publication by Central Statistics Office of Recorded Crime Statistics for 2011 Minister encouraged by reductions in most categories of crime, including a 26.4% reduction in murdersThe Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter TD, today welcomed the decrease in 11 of 14 crime groups in 2011 - compared with 2010 - and emphasised the Government's commitment to tackling all forms of criminal activity.
“ While some categories of property crime are up, ” the Minister said “ the overall trend shows a decrease in most types of crime, including homicide, assault, criminal damage and drug and public order offences. Taken together this overall decrease represents a substantial achievement for law enforcement and crime prevention in Ireland”.
The Minister welcomed in particular the 26.4% reduction in the number of murders. This reflects in part a reduction in the number of gang related killings in 2011, against a backdrop of significant enforcement and legislative measures to tackle and disrupt serious organised crime.
The Minister was also pleased at the downward trend in dangerous driving offences. The reductions in dangerous driving causing serious harm (down 33.3%) and driving while over the legal alcohol limit (down 15.6%) are in keeping with other positive trends in road safety, notably the reduction in the number of deaths on the roads.
There were also reductions in public order offences (down 10.8%), drug offences (down 11.5%) and criminal damage (down 9.1%).
The position with respect to property offences, however, was mixed. The Minister expressed concern at the increase in burglary (up 7.9%) and fraud offences (up 6.3%). He also noted that the overall figure for theft was broadly stable whilst sounding a warning that individuals should take care to ensure that their own personal belongings are not readily susceptible to theft. The Minister welcomed the decrease by 13.5% of robberies from the person and that theft from shops and of vehicles also both fell in 2011 (down 4.1% and 9.5%) and that overall robbery offences were also down by 8.7%.
“The increase in burglary and some other property offences emphasises the importance of vigilance and effective crime prevention. An Garda Síochána focus on patterns and ‘hot-spots’ in the incidence of this type of crime so as to design operational responses. The Garda Commissioner has advised me of action being taken to target those responsible for the increase in burglaries and to bring them before the courts and he has my full support in the initiatives underway. It is of course also important that the general public puts into practise the excellent crime prevention advice provided by the Gardaí.”
One further sub-set of these property offences – those relating to fraud - are also subject to focused enforcement measures, backed up by the new provisions introduced by the Minister in the Criminal Justice Act 2011. This legislation established new procedures and powers which will speed up both current and future investigations, including investigations into offences in the areas of banking and finance, company law, money laundering, fraud and corruption.
Notwithstanding some areas of concern, the Minister concluded that the overall figures were encouraging. Looking forward, he said that despite constraints on public finances, substantial Garda resources remain in place and that the Commissioner and the members of the Force had his full confidence in their capacity to provide effective frontline policing. It is apparent from the statistics that the Garda authorities are making good and effective use of their resources. The Government will do everything possible to support the Gardaí in their work, to provide resources as public finances permit, and to respond to any legislative needs that are identified.
The Minster added that it was his intention to build on existing progress by putting put in place a National Anti-Crime Strategy, arising from the White Paper on Crime consultation process. This will provide a strategic framework for all of the measures in place to tackle crime, including prevention, intervention and enforcement measures, as well as measures to support victims. The Minister’s intention is to publish this Strategy later this year and that it will help to guide all work to tackle crime into the future.
The crime statistics are available on the CSO website www.cso.ie