Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 582: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime figures and the detection rates by the Garda in 2003 and 2004 and classified by headline and non-headline crimes; and the total number of cases handled by the probation office from 2001 to 2004, classified by main category. [22074/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In relation to crime figures the Deputy will be aware that on becoming Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I arranged for the publication of headline crime statistics on a quarterly basis in order to improve the quality of information available to the public. While caution should be exercised in interpreting levels of crime between quarters, I am pleased to note that during my term of office as Minister, the quarterly crime rate has decreased from 6.7 per 1,000 population to six per 1,000 over the longer period of eleven quarters for which figures are available. This trend is reflected throughout most Garda districts in the country. In interpreting these figures, account has also to be taken of the introduction of the new PULSE computer system by the Garda Síochána in 1999, which led to more complete and comprehensive recording of crimes reported than was previously the case. The Deputy will also wish to be aware that, taking into account the significant increase in our population since 1995, the headline crime rate has fallen from 29 per 1,000 population in 1995 to 25 per 1,000 population in 2004.

I have been informed by the Garda authorities that proceedings commenced for 292,279 non-headline offences in 2003 and for 282,065 non-headline offences in 2004. Further details of non-headline offences are available in the Garda Síochána annual report for 2003.

The following table shows the headline offences recorded and detected in the State for 2003 and 2004, broken down by offence type.

The information requested regarding the number of cases handled by the probation and welfare service, for the years 2001 to 2003 is set out in the following tables. These figures are provisional and will form part of the probation and welfare service, multi-annual report, 2000 to 2003 due to be published shortly. The figures for 2004 are not yet available. However, the 2004 figures will form part of the probation and welfare service annual report 2004, in preparation at present.