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.
Introduction
Recorded Crime statistics are produced on a quarterly basis by the Central Statistics Office.
The Recorded Crime electronic publication and related tables provide statistical information on the volume and type of crimes recorded by An Garda Síochána.
Recorded Crime statistics are categorised by the Central Statistics Office as Statistics Under Reservation. This category is used to keep users informed about the quality of statistical outputs, and arises because of ongoing data quality issues within the data source. In the case of PULSE data, it informs users that Recorded Crime statistics based on recorded incidents on PULSE may understate or overstate the prevalence of reported offences and may be subject to revisions in subsequent statistical publications.
Please see Statistics Under Reservation FAQs for further information.
Data Source
Recorded Crime statistics are compiled exclusively from administrative records created and maintained by An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s National Police and Security Service, on their incident recording system PULSE (Police Using Leading Systems Effectively).
Published figures may be subject to revision as underlying records are subject to update, review or revision by An Garda Síochána as investigations progress.
Data Collection
Crimes reported to, or which become known to, An Garda Síochána are recorded as crime incidents if a member of An Garda Síochána determines that, on the balance of probability, a criminal offence defined by law has taken place, and there is no credible evidence to the contrary.
The rules governing how crimes are to be recorded by An Garda Síochána are provided in the Guide to How Crime is Recorded and Counted by An Garda Síochána. This newly published document explains the rationale for whether or not to record a crime incident and what to record, and provides guidance for the classification, reclassification, and invalidation of crime incident records, and for recording whether a crime incident has been detected. Its publication is an important development, not only for providing transparency in how crime is recorded on PULSE, but also in allowing users to better understand and use its statistical outputs.
Crime incidents are classified by type according to a set of approximately 200 different incident types (e.g. murder, assault, burglary).
Crime incidents are recorded against the Garda sub-district in which the offence was committed, or where it was reported if the place of commission cannot be determined.
Compilation of Recorded Crime statistics
The Central Statistics Office is in receipt of a single regular data extract from the PULSE database, updated each quarter. The data extract comprises a subset of the data held on the PULSE database, configured for the specific purpose of compiling Recorded Crime statistics.
Only valid, primary crime incidents assigned to a valid Garda sub-district within the State are included in Recorded Crime statistics.
Recorded Crime incidents are differentiated by type, reporting period and location for statistical purposes:
The ‘incident type’ variable, as recorded on PULSE, is used to differentiate between crimes of different type.
The set of PULSE incident types is mapped to the Irish Crime Classification System (ICCS) for statistical reporting.
The Recorded Crime publication does not include Groups 14 and 16 of the ICCS, and includes only some subcategories of Group 4. This is because some offences (i.e. specified road traffic offences) are initially recorded as Fixed Charge Notice offences on a separate database and are only recorded on PULSE if the offender fails to pay the fine within the specified time period. Statistics on Fixed Charge Notice offences are not published by the CSO at present.
The ‘date reported’ variable, as recorded on PULSE, is used to differentiate between different reporting time periods i.e. by quarter and by year.
It is the date the crime is reported, rather the date the crime occurred, which is used for statistical reporting, in line with international best practice.
The Station (or Garda sub-district) variable, as recorded on PULSE, is used to aggregate crime incidents up to administrative areas such as Garda Divisions and Garda Regions.
For stations which have been closed, crime incidents are reassigned to the Garda sub-district which assumed responsibility for the area of the closed station.
The Garda regional structure changed in Q4 2019. This reduced the number of Garda regions from six to four. The four regions are
Data edits for statistical purposes
Recorded Crime statistics are based on the unedited records of An Garda Síochána, except in the following circumstances:
| ICCSQ Offence Groups | ||
| 01 | Homicide offences | Murder Manslaughter Infanticide Manslaughter (traffic fatality) Dangerous driving causing death |
| 02 | Sexual offences | Rape of a male or female Rape Section 4 Unlawful carnal knowledge/Criminal law (Sexual Offences Act) 2006 Buggery Sexual offence involving mentally impaired person Aggravated sexual assault Sexual Assault Incest Child pornography offences Child pornography – obstruction of warrant Gross indecency |
| 03 | Attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harassments and related offences | Murder – attempt Threat to kill or cause serious harm Assault causing harm Poisoning Assault or obstruction of Garda/official, resisting arrest Minor assault Coercion Harassment, stalking, threats Demanding payment of debt causing alarm Housing Act Menacing phone calls Incitement to hatred offences |
| 04 | Dangerous or negligent acts | Dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm Driving/In charge of a vehicle while over legal alcohol limit Driving/In charge of a vehicle while under the influence of drugs Endangerment with potential for serious harm or death Abandoning a child, child neglect and cruelty Unseaworthy/dangerous use of a boat or ship False alarm/interference with aircraft or air transport facilities Endangering traffic offences |
| 05 | Kidnapping and related offences | False imprisonment Abduction of person under 16 years of age Human trafficking offences |
| 06 | Robbery, extortion and hijacking offences | Robbery of an establishment or institution Robbery of cash of goods in transit Robbery from the person Blackmail or extortion Carjacking, hijacking/unlawful seizure of aircraft/vessel |
| 07 | Burglary and related offences | Aggravated burglary Burglary (not aggravated) Possession of an article (with intent to burgle, steal, demand) |
| 08 | Theft and related offences | Theft/Unauthorised taking of a vehicle Interfering with vehicle (with intent to steal item or vehicle) Theft from person Theft from shop Theft from vehicle Theft/Unauthorised taking of a pedal cycle Theft of, or interference with, mail Handling or possession of stolen property Theft of other property |
| 09 | Fraud, deception and related offences | Fraud, deception, false pretence offences Forging an instrument to defraud Possession of an article for use in fraud, deception or extortion Falsification of accounts Offences under the Companies Act Offences under the Investment Intermediaries Act Offences under the Stock Exchange Act Money laundering Embezzlement Fraud against the European Union Importation/Sale/Supply of tobacco Counterfeiting notes and coins Counterfeiting of goods Bad debts criminal (Debtors Ireland) Corruption (involving public office holder) |
| 10 | Controlled drug offences | Importation of drugs Cultivation or manufacture of drugs Possession of drugs for sale or supply Possession of drugs for personal use Forged or altered prescription offences Obstruction under the Drugs Act |
| 11 | Weapons and explosives offences | Causing an explosion Making of explosives Possession of explosives Chemical weapons offences Discharging a firearm Possession of a firearm Possession of offensive weapons (not firearms) Fireworks offences (for sale, igniting etc.) |
| 12 | Damage to property and to the environment | Arson Criminal damage (not arson) Litter offences |
| 13 | Public order and other social code offences | Affray/Riot/Violent disorder Public order offences Drunkenness offences Air rage-disruptive or drunken behaviour on aircraft Forcible entry and occupation (not burglary) Trespass on lands or enclosed areas Liquor licensing offences Registered clubs offences Special restaurant offences Provision of intoxicating liquor to under 18 year olds Purchase or consumption of alcohol by under 18 year olds Sale of intoxicating liquor to under 18 year olds Brothel keeping Organisation of prostitution Prostitution, including soliciting etc. Offences under the Betting Acts Collecting money without permit, unauthorised collection Offences under Gaming and Lotteries Acts Permit/License offences for casual/street trading Allowing a child (under 16 years) to beg Bigamy Bestiality Indecency Begging |
| 14 | Road and traffic offences (NEC) | Driving licence-failure to have, produce etc. Insurance-failure to have, produce, display etc. No tax, non-display of tax, unregistered vehicle etc. Misuse of Trade Licence Misuse of trailers, weight and other offences Obstruction under road traffic acts Other road offences Road transport – carriage of goods offences Public service vehicle offences Light rail offences (Luas) |
| 15 | Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime | Treason Breaches of Offences Against the State Acts Breaches of Official Secrets Act Impersonating member of An Garda Síochána Electoral offences including personation Public mischief-annoying phone calls, wasting police time Criminal Assets Bureau offences (organised crime) Conspiracy to commit a crime Perjury Interfering with a jury (embracery) Assisting offenders Public mischief, pervert course of justice, conceal offence Escape or help to escape from custody Prison offences Breach of Domestic Violence Order (protection, safety, barring) Breach of order under Family Law Act Breach of bail Failure to comply under Sex Offenders Act Other failure to comply with court order, jury summons, warrant etc. |
User note from Q2 2021: The description of subgroup 03b has changed from 'Murder - Threat' to 'Threat to kill or cause serious harm' to align with the PULSE incident type description.
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