Bernard J. Durkan
Question:40 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the resources that are currently being deployed to tackle unsolved crime, in particular crime of a serious nature; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Unsolved Crime.
First, I want to deal with the level of unsolved crime. The Garda Commissioner's annual report on crime for 1992 indicates that there was an overall detection rate for indictable crime of 34 per cent in 1992. This represents a slight increase on the 1991 detection rate and would be on a par with detection rates for previous years. In examining crime detection rates it is also very important to consider the category of crime to which the rate refers. For instance, in Category I of the Garda Commissioner's report, the detection rate is in excess of 77 per cent while the detection rates for very serious offences such as murder and rape are considerably higher. In highlighting these figures, it is also worth mentioning that the crime detection rates for an Garda Síochána compare very favourably with those of other European police forces and, in most instances, are higher than European rates.
It is not possible to distinguish the Garda resources that are devoted to unsolved crime alone. Many investigations of serious crime are ongoing at any one time. The Garda authorities are conscious of the need to enlist the help of the public in helping to solve serious crime.
Initiatives such as the RTE "Crimeline" television programme, which commenced in 1992 have helped to improve public awareness of crime issues generally and have led, in many cases, to the detection of serious crime through the viewer response to specific cases featured in the programme.
I am confident that the Garda response to the problems of crime is proving successful and that Garda resources will continue to be deployed to best advantage. The crime situation is being kept under close review and I can assure the House that the Garda authorities will have my full backing in implementing whatever measures they consider necessary to tackle the problem.