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The CSO today released Garda Recorded Crime Statistics, 2003-2006. This is the first set of crime statistics using the new Irish Crime Classification System (ICCS), published last Thursday by CSO.


Today’s publication is a significant step towards more integrated and user-friendly crime statistics. All crime statistics published by CSO are available free of charge on the CSO web-site www.cso.ie.

 

Co-operation between An Garda Síochána and CSO


The CSO assumed responsibility for the publication of Crime Statistics in October, 2006. At that time, CSO stated that a major priority was to develop a new crime classification system. The development of the new classification system (ICCS) and today’s publication is a culmination of intense co-operation between An Garda Síochána and the CSO. This work was greatly helped by input and advice from the Advisory Group on Crime Statistics, which was set up by CSO in 2006.


Topics Covered in Today’s Publication


Today’s publication gives detailed information on all crime types dealt with by An Garda Síochána for each of the years 2003-2006. It is based, for the most part, on information stored on PULSE (Police Using Leading Systems Effectively).


Information is also presented broken down by Garda Region and Garda Division. Details of victim characteristics (such as age and sex) are given. Rates of crime (i.e. numbers of crimes per head of population) are given for various crime types and these are also broken down according to Garda geographic boundaries. Crime types involving weapons, as well as type of weapon and the location type of the crime incidents are also shown.


As well as details on the numbers of crime incidents, today’s publication covers a wealth of other information. This includes detection status of incidents, court proceedings taken and the court outcomes of those proceedings. All information on PULSE can be updated as these proceedings take their course. The information in the report reflects the position as it existed in October, 2007.


Some tables containing contextual information on the population are also presented. These are derived from the 2006 Census of Population and are shown according to Garda Region and Division. These tables give a selection of characteristics of the population – such as numbers of persons, ages, situation with regard to paid employment and educational details. Tables are also shown concerning household characteristics – household size, nature of occupancy (owner occupied or other category).

 

Future Plans


It should be stressed that today’s publication covers only crime incidents which are reported or otherwise become known to the Gardaí. Many crime incidents are dealt with by agencies other than the Gardaí. The ICCS has been developed with this in mind. In the future, it is expected that annual crime statistics will be expanded to cover more non-Garda reported crimes.


Also, many crimes, of various types, do not come to the attention of the Gardaí or other State Agency. The CSO intends, over time, to develop its household-based Crime and Victimisation surveys to give a broader picture of crime and its associated victimisation in Ireland. Details of the 2006 Crime and Victimisation survey, published in April, 2007 are also available at www.cso.ie (PDF 234KB) .


Over the next number of weeks, the CSO will include crime data in its Database Direct service, also available through www.cso.ie. This will enable users of the data to design their own tables, for all or for selected ICCS crime types and at the appropriate level of geographic breakdown.


Over the coming period, the CSO will make details of ICCS (and the specific offences that make up each category) available to agencies (Courts, Prisons, Probation Services) in the broader criminal justice system. This will allow those agencies to embed ICCS into their systems as they deem appropriate.


For further information contact:


Karina Kelleher 021 453 5716

Timothy Linehan 021 453 5264

Ger Healy 021 453 5205


Crime Statistics,
Central Statistics Office

Phone: LoCall 1890 313 414 / (021) 453 5000/ (01) 498 4000
Fax (021) 453 5555

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


23 April 2008

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