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THE LATEST CRIME figures released by the Central Statistics Office show that there has been a fall in homicide, theft, assaults, damage to property, controlled drugs, and public order offences between 2008 and 2012.
However, there was a significant increase in the level of kidnappings, robberies and burglaries and extortion and hijacking.
The CSO states that reported murders and manslaughters were down 11 per cent, while assaults, attempts or threats to murder, harassments and related offences were down by 18 per cent.
However there was a rise in homicides by 20 per cent between 2011-2012.
Kidnappings were up 31 per cent, while extortion and hijacking offences were up 23 per cent and burglary was up 14 per cent.
Sexual offences
The report showed there was a rise in the level of sexual offences recorded, up 51 per cent between 2008 and 2012, however the gardaí said this was as a result of some of the offences being reviewed that may have occurred a while back in the past but are represented on the date of reclassification.
This review is being undertaken in conjunction with the Garda Síochána policy on the investigation of sexual crime, which was introduced in April 2010.
reviewing cases, many of which are historic and the crime being recorded at the time it is reported rather than the date it occurred.
In response to the publication of the CSO’s 2012 Annual Report, Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan commented:
The CSO’s 2012 Annual Report shows that reductions in crime rates were achieved in many of the crime groups such as homicide, theft, assaults, damage to property, controlled drugs, and public order between 2008 and 2012.In total, reductions in nine of the 15 crime groups were achieved during this time. This demonstrated An Garda Síochána’s focus on keeping our communities safe and tackling crime in all its forms.
She said the gardaí proactively monitors emerging crime trends and patterns, and operations are constantly assessed and reviewed to ensure that targeted and co-ordinated measures are put in place.
Following an increase in burglary and related offences, Operation Fiacla, which is a national, multi-unit operation targeting travelling burglary gangs, was introduced and the latest figures from the CSO show a 10.9 per cent decrease in burglary and related offences.
“I welcome the CSO finding that there was an increase or no decrease in detection rates in eight of the 15 groups. In addition, the CSO report states that over the long-term detection rates for the majority of offences are quite stable,” she said.
She added that is a major priority for the gardaí to try and improve these figures.
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the biggest obstacle is religion
The biggest problem is lack of education. I have lived in the AIDS capital of the world and religion was not the barrier there
religion is a barrier to education
Religion has nothing to do with this.
It’s lack of education and knowledge. Full stop.
I agree education is key, education in safe sex and removal of tribal cultures surrounding ‘cures’ for HIV, and especially key is the education of women – as they tend to be more likely to pass onto children, where culture and tradition have not yet become indoctrinated.
However, Africa has a boom in Catholicism: http://www.africamasterweb.com/AdSense/AfricaAndCatholicism.html
And the official Vatican stance and that of catholic relief and aid workers is that condoms are not to be condoned or distributed: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june11/vatican_05-30.html
This is despite condoms and testing being key to the decrease in HIV infections in the Western World.
Have you checked the numbers between countries with many Catholics and those with the highest AIDS rates? They might not match as closely as you believe.
Most of Southern Africa, which is where you will find those countries with the highest rates of AIDS are actually predominantly protestant:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_Africa#Southern_Africa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_by_country#Africa
Just to point out that I am actually an agnostic and so not a Church supporter but there’s no point blaming them for something that is not entirely their fault
Without getting into lies, damn lies, and statistics I would wonder how much of those protestants in Southern Africa are from an ex-pat background and therefore less likely to be an victim of HIV?
Like I say, I’m not discounting what you’re saying – I’d just like to see relief organisations (of which many are Catholic) move towards teaching and promoting safer sex, rather than unrealistic abstinence.
Most of the Africans in Southern Africa are protestant.
Most African catholics were converted by Catholic Missions who generally stayed around mid-Africa whereas the protestants (English, Dutch, etc.) settled and converted in Southern Africa.
I’ve grown up there. I know the statistics
I would like to say that I too, would like to see a realistic approach to teaching safe sex and use of condoms as opposed to using the ridiculous notions that Africans will follow the idea of abstinence
Siomha,
I remember Bishop Desmond Tutu addressing a WHO conference and declaring that the attitude of Catholic missionary and aid groups to condom use had exasperated the spread of the disease in Africa.
Religion is only a small part of it – need to look at the bigger picture!
I’ve been living with HIV for seven years. If it wasn’t for the antiretroviral drugs I’d be dead. Huge advances in the treatment and decreases in the stigma attached to the virus have been achieved, but there’s still a long way to go. The virus is seen as a manageable disease and therefore not the threat is once was. This is folly. I wish the only impact on my life was the taking of a tablet each evening. Little is known about the long-term effects of these drugs; nor about the very real risk of dementia, cancers, pneumonia, skin conditions and the host of opportunistic infections being infected leaves you prone to. Education is everything.
Why does Concern’s Senior HIV Adviser never mention the use of CONDOMS to fight Aids in developing countries? NOT MENTIONED ONCE.
I find that surprising as well. Condoms are the main way to prevent the spread of AIDS and nearly all anti-AIDS campaigns use those as their main platforms.
Maybe it is more than just the use of condoms that is important?
Si it is more but they are the best way to prevent AIDS spreading. Every campaign should highlight that
Could have sworn I heard the news on the radio say infection in young people here had risen sharply
The article doesn’t break down the infection rates by demographics so you could be right. The overall trend seems to be going the right way.
You did hear that. Young men 24 to 39 at highest risk, I think. Ignorance is on the rise because the heyday of AIDS campaigning was 20 years ago when they were little kids.
Hmmm.. There were people in Swaziland eating faecal matter not so long ago because they couldn’t take their AIDS meds on an empty stomach (talk about skewed priorities – drugs are more important than FOOD now?)
This article also points out that in the place where new infections are rampant nutrition and sanitation leave a lot to be desired..
Wonder how many people in the 3rd world get “diagnosed” with AIDS when malnutrition and poor sanitation is the true reason their immune systems don’t work? Bearing in mind that the “tests” (ELISA and western blot) specifically state that they are unsuitable for determining the presence of HIV, a virus that has not been isolated. Rather these tests measure viral load and antibody response (and can test positive if you have the flu, are pregnant, or have just had a vaccine – hence the two tests taken several weeks apart).. There are people starving, they are obviously not adequately nourished, and instead of making sure that they can eat – drugs take priority (and companies like concern just keep pushing that appalling quality soy based muck and drugs approach rather than building self sustainability and organic farming)
I do not wish to detract from the seriousness of the problem, but something here reeks of fish..
have your say