The CSO today released Garda Recorded Crime Statistics for the period 2004-2008. This is the third annual CSO report featuring data recorded on the Garda PULSE (Police Using Leading Systems Effectively) and the FCPS (Fixed Charge Penalty System) systems.

Some of the key points highlighted in the report are:

Recorded crime

• Murder/Manslaughter offences decreased by 35%, from 84 in 2007 to 55 in 2008. This is the lowest number since 2004 when there were 45 offences.
• Controlled Drug Offences increased by over a quarter (26%) to 23,405 in 2008, an increase of 4,851 offences from 2007. In 2004 there were 9,868 offences of this nature.

Detection rates

• Detection rates in 2008 varied from 99% for Controlled Drug Offences and for Dangerous or Negligent Acts and Road and Traffic Offences (NEC) to 22% for Damage to Property and to the Environment and 26% for Burglary and Related Offences.
• While the detection rate for Homicide Offences has fallen from 95% in 2004 to 83% in 2008, it rose for Robbery, Extortion and Hijacking Offences from 37% in 2004 to 50% in 2008. For Burglary and Related Offences the detection rate increased from 17% in 2004 to 26% in 2008.

Court outcomes

• Of the 34 Dangerous Driving Leading to Death offences recorded in 2008, 17 court proceedings had commenced by October 2009 (when data was extracted from PULSE and FCPS). Of these proceedings, six have led to convictions, two to non-conviction while nine cases were still pending.
• While there were 1,407 Sexual Offences recorded in 2008, by October 2009 court proceedings had commenced for 158 of these offences. There were 29 convictions while a further 106 cases were still pending.
• Of the 332,372 Road and Traffic Offences (NEC) recorded in 2008, over 31,000 (31,812) cases led to conviction while 2,062 were still pending. There were 80,037 non-convictions.

Divisional variations

• Limerick Garda Division had the highest per capita rate of recorded Murder/Manslaughter/Infanticide offences at 3.5 per 100,000 persons in 2008 (South Central DMR had a rate only slightly less at 3.4),compared to a state average of 1.2 per 100,000 persons.
• South Central DMR Garda Division had the highest per capita rate for recorded Aggravated Burglary and Burglary (not aggravated) offences at 19.4 and 1,335 respectively per 100,000 persons. The annual state average was 7.3 per 100,000 persons for Aggravated Burglary and 541 for Burglary (not aggravated).
• The highest per capita rate for Driving/In charge of vehicle while over legal alcohol limit offences in 2008 was recorded in Cavan/Monaghan Garda Division at 736.2 per 100,000 persons, while the lowest was recorded in Eastern DMR at 183.4. The state average was 405.7 per 100,000 persons.

Further information

This report features detailed information on the volume of offences recorded and detected by An Garda Síochána between 2004 and 2008, classified using the Irish Crime Classification System (ICCS). The report also contains more detailed information on offences recorded in 2008, namely relevant court proceedings, convictions, profiles of those convicted and a detailed breakdown of offences by Garda Region and Division. Extra information, including full details for all years from 2003-2008 and details of ICCS, can be found at http://www.cso.ie

The information supplied in this report refers only to criminal incidents known to An Garda Síochána and recorded as such. Obviously, not every crime comes to the attention of An Garda Síochána.

All data recorded on PULSE and FCPS has the potential to be revised as additional information becomes available on offences and therefore the figures for published years are subject to revision as more up to date information is extracted from PULSE and FCPS. This is because of the nature of criminal incidents, the nature of the reporting of
same by members of the public, follow-up investigations and characteristics of consequential activities by the broader justice system may lead to a significant time lag between the recording of an offence and its subsequent final outcome.  In order to allow a reasonable time for offences to be processed, data was not taken from the system until October 2009.

For copies of the publication contact:

The Central Statistics Office, Information Section, Skehard Road, Cork.
The Government Publications Sales Office,Sun Alliance House,Molesworth Street,Dublin 2.
Price: €20
Copies can be downloaded from the CSO website http://www.cso.ie

For further information contact:

Karina Kelleher 021 453 5716

Timothy Linehan 021 453 5264

Tricia Brew 021 453 5490

Crime Statistics,
Central Statistics Office

Phone: LoCall 1890 313 414 / (021) 453 5000 / (01) 498 4000, ext 5716 or 5490
Fax (021) 453 5555

Internet www.cso.ie
E-mail crime@cso.ie

25 February 2010

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