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Recorded Crime Q3 2020

    These statistics are categorised as Under Reservation. This categorisation indicates that the quality of these statistics do not meet the standards required of official statistics published by the CSO.

    For further information please refer to the Under Reservation FAQ page.

CSO statistical publication, , 11am

On-line ISSN: 2009-5171
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The continued impact of COVID-19 on crime trends is reflected in Recorded Crime statistics for Q3 2020. The total number of recorded crimes for the year ending September 2020 has fallen sharply in the categories of Burglary and related offences (down by 3,385, or 20.4%), Theft and related offences (down by 12,183, or 17.7%) and Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences (down by 281, or 12%), when compared with the previous 12-month period. See Table 1.1.

There have also been notable decreases in the numbers of crime incidents classified as Sexual offences (-12%), Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences (-7.9%), Damage to property and to the environment (-9.4%) and Public order and other social code offences (-7.7%). By contrast crime incidents classified as Controlled drug offences increased by 1,818 (+8.7%) in the year to Q3 2020, and Weapons and explosives offences also rose, up 332 (+12.3%).

Homicide and related offences rose by 5 in the year to Q3 2020 compared with the previous year. However some care should be taken when interpreting this as the more recent figure may rise as investigations into fatal road traffic collisions conclude. The number of incidents of Murder or Manslaughter increased by one over the year. Further breakdown of the data in Table 1.1 is provided in Chapter 3.

It is important to stress that the figures in Table 1.1 reflect the twelve months to the end of September 2020 compared to the corresponding period to the end of September 2019. Supplementary tables are included later in this chapter comparing figures from Q3 2020 alone with the corresponding period in 2019. See Tables 1.2 and 1.3.

Not included in the statistical tables are breaches of COVID-19 regulations which were classified as crime incidents by An Garda Síochána. In the period from July to September 2020, these incidents included breaches of regulations relating to licensed premises, wearing of face coverings and international travel. During Q3 2020 there were 271 such incidents. The CSO continues to engage with An Garda Síochána regarding the nature of these incidents, with a view to classifying them appropriately in future publications.

Table 1.1 Recorded crime incidents1 classified by offence group, annualised2 total to Q3 2019 and 2020
 Annualised total to Q3
ICCSq offence group20192020Change% Change
 
01 Homicide and related offences697457.2
02 Sexual offences3,3942,987-407-12.0
03 Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences21,62719,917-1,710-7.9
04 Dangerous or negligent acts8,7738,828550.6
05 Kidnapping and related offences140138-2-1.4
06 Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences 2,3342,053-281-12.0
07 Burglary and related offences16,55613,171-3,385-20.4
08 Theft and related offences68,90556,722-12,183-17.7
09 Fraud, deception and related offences7,8957,832-63-0.8
10 Controlled drug offences20,82322,6411,8188.7
11 Weapons and explosives offences2,7033,03533212.3
12 Damage to property and to the environment22,24320,160-2,083-9.4
13 Public order and other social code offences32,87230,344-2,528-7.7
15 Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime 17,33012,016-5,314-30.7
1 These statistics are categorised as Under Reservation. This categorisation indicates that the quality of these statistics do not meet the standards required of official statistics published by CSO.
2 The annualised figure for a given quarter is the total number of crimes recorded in the 12 months prior to end of that quarter.
01 Homicide and related offences02 Sexual offences03 Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences04 Dangerous or negligent acts05 Kidnapping and related offences06 Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences 07 Burglary and related offences08 Theft and related offences09 Fraud, deception and related offences10 Controlled drug offences11 Weapons and explosives offences15 Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime
ICCSq offence group7.2-12-7.90.6-1.4-12-20.4-17.7-0.88.712.3-30.7
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Recorded crime levels in Q3 2020 continued to be impacted by the national response to COVID-19. While domestic travel restrictions were largely lifted by the beginning of Q3, other influences have resulted in continued reductions in levels of some types of recorded crime. These influences may include the closure of many licenced premises, restrictions on gatherings, cultural and sporting events, and periodic local lockdowns.  

There were 1,238 fewer incidents of Burglary and related offences recorded in Q3 2020 than in Q3 2019, representing a drop of 30.9%. Sharp decreases were also observed in Theft and related offences (down by 18.9%) and for Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences (lower by 17.3%) compared with the equivalent quarter in 2019. See Table 1.2 and Figure 1.2.

While the number of Attempts/Threats to Murder, assaults, harassments and related offences fell by 9.4%, the number of Sexual offences recorded in Q3 2020 was marginally higher than that recorded in Q3 2019 (+0.2%). The number of crimes classified as Weapons and explosives offences was also higher by 117 incidents (+16.3%).

 

Table 1.2 Recorded crime incidents1 classified by offence group, Q3 2019 and Q3 2020
 Quarterly Figures2
ICCSq offence groupQ3 2019Q3 2020Change% Change
 
01 Homicide and related offences1922315.8
02 Sexual offences83383520.2
03 Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences5,7185,182-536-9.4
04 Dangerous or negligent acts2,1592,46730814.3
05 Kidnapping and related offences4233-9-21.4
06 Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences 573474-99-17.3
07 Burglary and related offences4,0052,767-1,238-30.9
08 Theft and related offences17,87414,494-3,380-18.9
09 Fraud, deception and related offences2,0911,957-134-6.4
10 Controlled drug offences5,8715,759-112-1.9
11 Weapons and explosives offences71683311716.3
12 Damage to property and to the environment5,5655,307-258-4.6
13 Public order and other social code offences8,6718,144-527-6.1
15 Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime 4,2982,167-2,131-49.6
1 These statistics are categorised as Under Reservation. This categorisation indicates that the quality of these statistics do not meet the standards required of official statistics published by CSO.
2 This table presents figures for a given quarter and year on year changes for that quarter.
01 Homicide and related offences02 Sexual offences03 Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences04 Dangerous or negligent acts05 Kidnapping and related offences06 Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences 07 Burglary and related offences08 Theft and related offences09 Fraud, deception and related offences10 Controlled drug offences11 Weapons and explosives offences15 Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime
ICCSq offence group15.80.2-9.414.3-21.4-17.3-30.9-18.9-6.4-1.916.3-49.6
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This section provides additional detail on Group 03 incidents (Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences), as users may be interested in the demographic breakdown of victims of this crime group.  Note that the number of victims highlighted in this section will not match the number of incidents in Table 1.2 above as there may, in limited circumstances, be incidents where no injured party is recorded.

The number of victims of Group 03 incidents (Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences) recorded in Q3 2020 was 574 or 10.7% lower than for the corresponding period in 2019. This fall was mostly accounted for by a reduction in male victims, down 414 (-13.4%) on Q3 2019. The number of female victims of assault also decreased, but by a smaller figure of 160 (-7%). Despite the overall decrease, the number of female victims was higher in age groups 30-44 (up 46, or 6%), and Under 18 (up 10, or 3.6%) in Q3 compared to the equivalent period in 2019. See Table 1.3 and Figure 1.3

Table 1.3 Recorded crime victims1 of Attempts/threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences (ICSSq offence group 03) by age and sex of victim, Q3 2019 and Q3 2020
 Quarterly2 recorded crime victims of ICSSq offence group 03
Sex/Age of victim2019 Q32020 Q3Change% Change
Victims of ICSSq offence group 035,3794,805-574-10.7
 
Males3,0842,670-414-13.4
of which:
Under 184765285210.9
18-29865648-217-25.1
30-44953749-204-21.4
45-59592524-68-11.5
60 or over1982212311.6
 
Females2,2952,135-160-7.0
of which:
Under 18277287103.6
18-29765628-137-17.9
30-44762808466.0
45-59382341-41-10.7
60 or over10971-38-34.9
1 These statistics are categorised as Under Reservation. This categorisation indicates that the quality of these statistics do not meet the standards required of official statistics published by CSO.
2 This table presents figures for a given quarter and year on year changes for that quarter.
All MalesMales aged under 18Males aged 18 -29Males aged 30 -44Males aged 45 -59Males aged 60 or overAll FemalesFemales aged under 18Females aged 18 -29Females aged 30 -44Females aged 45 -59Females aged 60 or over
ICCSq offence group 03-13.410.9-25.1-21.4-11.511.6-73.6-17.96-10.7-34.9

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