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Crime

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The statistics in this chapter relate to a number of aspects of justice and defence. They have been obtained from the Garda Síochána, the Prison Service, the Probation Service and the Central Statistics Office. Crime figures are provided for the number of offences recorded by the Garda Síochána. These are based on the Irish Crime Classification System (ICCS).

Probation recidivism provides figures for the re-offending rates of those placed on Probation Orders and Community Service Orders. Prison recidivism provides figures for the re-offending rates of those released from the custody of the Irish Prison Service. 

4.1 Recorded offences classified by group, 2009 to 2014
         
      
Offence200920102011201220132014
     
01Homicide offences888966798380
02Sexual offences1,4802,3662,0142,1172,0212,065
03Attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences18,35317,70317,06215,71014,45215,091
04Dangerous or negligent acts15,53212,0939,9469,0517,6657,299
05Kidnapping and related offences146134109101120125
06Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences2,4913,1962,9312,8172,8052,648
07Burglary and related offences26,91025,42027,69528,13326,15327,575
08Theft and related offences77,03176,82776,97576,40278,77377,730
09Fraud, deception and related offences4,9474,9885,3705,7914,8285,178
10Controlled drug offences21,98220,00517,69516,45015,39415,933
11Weapons and explosives offences4,0644,0993,4833,0382,7492,475
12Damage to property and to the environment42,33039,36935,57432,42828,93327,409
13Public order and other social code offences57,35154,94149,06043,86236,43232,629
15Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime11,89811,39810,1739,4459,0109,556
Source: CSO

 

Interactive table: StatBank link

 

 

Comparing recorded offences between 2013 and 2014, falls continued in most offence groups. There were falls in Homicide offences (83 to 80), rises in Kidnapping and related offences (120 to 125) and falls in Theft and related offences (78,773 to 77,730).

 

 

4.2 Incidents of Assaults and Burglary, recorded, per 100,000 population, detections and with relevant proceedings, 2012
       
OffenceGarda regionRecordedPer 100,000 populationDetectedDetection rate (%)With relevant proceedings
       
Assaults Northern 1,832353.11,38375.5755
 Western 1,490253.51,01868.3445
 Southern 2,672307.92,00975.2812
 Eastern 2,104272.51,37365.3617
 South Eastern 1,700298.11,22872.2494
 Dublin Metropolitan 3,769296.01,83848.8847
 State13,567295.68,84965.23,970
       
BurglaryNorthern 2,474476.857723.3366
 Western 2,375404.057024.0356
 Southern 3,094356.61,07534.7661
 Eastern 5,676735.195916.9540
 South Eastern 3,594630.381322.6420
 Dublin Metropolitan 10,920857.62,16119.81,437
 State28,133612.96,15521.93,780
Source: CSO

 

Interactive table: StatBank link

 

Comparing per capita figures for 2012, the Northern Region was the highest for recorded Assaults offences, with 353.1 offences per 100,000, while the Western Region had the lowest (253.5 per 100,000).

For 2012, almost 40% of Burglary offences were recorded in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. 

Detection figures for 2013 will be published in November 2015.

4.3 Probation offender numbers and whether there was a re-offence within three years, 2007 and 2008 cohort
               
2007 cohort 2008 cohort  
Re-offence within three years Recidivism rate Re-offence within three years Recidivism rate Recidivism rate
  YesNoTotal % YesNoTotal % Absolute change
         
Total offenders1,7411,8213,562 48.9 1,5432,2183,761 41.0 - 7.9
             
Sex           
Male1,5421,5363,078 50.1 1,3731,8883,261 42.1 - 8.0
Female199285484 41.1 170330500 34.0 - 7.1
         
Male age group             
<1810848156 69.2 14295237 59.9 - 9.3
18-247655861,351 56.6 6778001,477 45.8 -10.8
25-446137981,411 43.4 5158541,369 37.6 - 5.8
45-645593148 37.2 39122161 24.2 -12.9
65 +11112 8.3 01717 0.0 - 8.3
              
Female age group             
<1816925 64.0 192140 47.5 -16.5
18-247195166 42.8 57116173 32.9 - 9.8
25-44104160264 39.4 81168249 32.5 - 6.9
45-6482028 28.6 122335 34.3 +5.7
65 +011 0.0 123 33.3 +33.3
             
All persons age group             
<1812457181 68.5 161116277 58.1 -10.4
18-248366811,517 55.1 7349161,650 44.5 -10.6
25-447179581,675 42.8 5961,0221,618 36.8 - 6.0
45-6463113176 35.8 51145196 26.0 - 9.8
65 +11213 7.7 11920 5.0 - 2.7
             
Probation type        
Community service5777021,279 45.1 4637421,205 38.4 - 6.7
Probation order1,1641,1192,283 51.0 1,0801,4762,556 42.3 - 8.7
             
Probation referral offence            
01Homicide offences123 33.3 167 14.3 -19.0
02Sexual offences72532 21.9 52934 14.7 - 7.2
03Attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences162253415 39.0 169274443 38.1 - 0.9
04Dangerous or negligent acts6590155 41.9 62134196 31.6 -10.3
05Kidnapping and related offences022 0.0 011 0.0 0.0
06Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences404989 44.9 314273 42.5 - 2.5
07Burglary and related offences12073193 62.2 103107210 49.0 -13.1
08Theft and related offences355335690 51.4 320415735 43.5 - 7.9
09Fraud, deception and related offences153853 28.3 183048 37.5 +9.2
10Controlled drug offences231337568 40.7 212355567 37.4 - 3.3
11Weapons and explosives offences5248100 52.0 5861119 48.7 - 3.3
12Damage to property and to the environment9580175 54.3 97110207 46.9 - 7.4
13Public order and other social code offences435274709 61.4 329418747 44.0 -17.3
14Road and traffic offences (NEC)114149263 43.3 73147220 33.2 -10.2
15Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime4858106 45.3 5781138 41.3 - 4.0
16Offences not elsewhere classified178 12.5 202 100.0 +87.5
 Not stated011 0.0 6814 42.9 +42.9
Source: CSO

In 2008, 3,761 individuals (cases) were placed on Probation orders or Community service orders. Of these, 1,543 (41.0%) re-offended within a three-year period, a fall of 7.9% between 2007 and 2008.  When considering age and sex, these trends were repeated. Recidivism among males fell by 8.0% to 42.1% in 2008 while female recidivism fell by 7.1% to 34.0% in the same period.  Falls in the recidivism rates were also observed across all persons age groups. 

 

Of the 1,543 individuals who re-offended, 40.3% did so within the first twelve months, while an additional 31.7% did so within 12 to 24 months of referral to the Probation Service.

Probation re-offenders by time period to first re-offence %
0<620.1
6<1220.2
12<1816.6
18<2415.1
24<3015.3
30<3612.7
4.4 Prisoner offender numbers and whether there was a re-offence within three years, 2007 and 2008 cohort
               
2007 cohort 2008 cohort  
Re-offence within three years Recidivism rate Re-offence within three years Recidivism rate Recidivism rate
  YesNoTotal % YesNoTotal % Absolute change
         
Total offenders2,2541,8204,074 55.3 2,8022,6875,489 51.0-4.3
            
Sex          
Male2,1051,6693,774 55.8 2,5682,4154,983 51.5-4.2
Female149151300 49.7 234272506 46.2-3.4
         
Male age group 
 <21 years329212541 60.8365268633 57.7 -3.2
 21-256213921,013 61.37836411,424 55.0 -6.3
 26-30432295727 59.45544541,008 55.0 -4.5
 31-35299248547 54.7335320655 51.1 -3.5
 36-40187165352 53.1239225464 51.5 -1.6
 41-50175223398 44.0227336563 40.3 -3.7
51-604796143 32.951123174 29.3 -3.6
61 +153853 28.3144862 22.6 -5.7
  
Female age group           
 <21 years131326 50.0142034 41.2 -8.8
 21-25392766 59.16551116 56.0 -3.1
 26-30273966 40.94571116 38.8 -2.1
 31-35432871 60.64853101 47.5 -13.0
 36-40111930 36.7303262 48.4 11.7
 41-50111728 39.3263561 42.6 3.3
51-604812 33.35813 38.5 5.1
61 +101 100.0123 33.3 -66.7
 
All persons age group           
 <21 years342225567 60.3379288667 56.8 -3.5
 21-256604191,079 61.28486921,540 55.1 -6.1
 26-30459334793 57.95995251,124 53.3 -4.6
 31-35342276618 55.3383373756 50.7 -4.7
 36-40198184382 51.8269257526 51.1 -0.7
 41-50186240426 43.7253371624 40.5 -3.1
51-6051104155 32.956131187 29.9 -3.0
61 +163854 29.6155065 23.1 -6.6
             
             
              
Initial Imprisonment offence             
01Homicide offences52429 17.2 161834 47.1 29.8
02Sexual offences177390 18.9 116374 14.9 -4.0
03Attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences237163400 59.3 251182433 58.0 -1.3
04Dangerous or negligent acts143190333 42.9 203302505 40.2 -2.7
05Kidnapping and related offences8816 50.0 7411 63.6 13.6
06Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences432366 65.2 182240 45.0 -20.2
07Burglary and related offences10030130 76.9 9662158 60.8 -16.2
08Theft and related Offences383190573 66.8 441283724 60.9 -5.9
09Fraud, deception and related offences284775 37.3 3579114 30.7 -6.6
10Controlled drug offences127163290 43.8 192200392 49.0 5.2
11Weapons and explosives offences8340123 67.5 7572147 51.0 -16.5
12Damage to property and to the environment14683229 63.8 164124288 56.9 -6.8
13Public order and other social code offences449222671 67 549290839 65.4-1.5
14Road and traffic offences (NEC)245364609 40 3907151105 35.3-4.9
15Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime12777204 62 224103327 68.56.2
16Offences not elsewhere classified113123236 48 130168298 43.6 -4.3
Source: CSO

In 2008, 5,489 individuals (cases) were released from the custody of the Irish Prison Service.  Of these, 2,802 (51.0%) re-offended within a three-year period, a decrease of 4.3% from the 55.3% recorded in 2007. This fall is also visible, when considering the demographics of offenders. Male re-offending fell from 55.8% to 51.5% between 2007 and 2008 while female re-offending rates fell from 49.7% to 46.2%.

Of the 2,802 individuals who re-offended, the great majority (1,809 or 64.6%) did so within the first six months of official release from custody.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prison re-offenders by time period to first re-offence %
0<664.6
6<1214.7
12<188.4
18<245.2
24<367.2

 

 

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