asked the Minister for Justice if he will establish a special commission to investigate the causes of crime in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Causes of Crime.
16.
If some special research project into the causes of crime were to be undertaken, I do not consider that the establishment of a commission would be the way to go about it. That point apart, I know of no reason to think that the causes of crime or the factors contributing to crime in this country are in any significant way different from the causes of crime or the factors contributing to it in many other countries; and I am not prepared to ask the Government to divert funds from other pressing social needs in order to finance a project which would be both expensive and a duplication of the extensive work that has been done, and that continues to be done, both under the auspices of universities and otherwise, in a number of other countries.
Surely we have always taken the position that we have a unique culture here and for that reason it is not easy to extrapolate the findings of other societies in relation to the origins of crime and that a special commission would be required here to find out the effects on young people of TV violence or the frustration of unemployment or changes in family life. There is a special question which is worth inquiring into in order to know how we should approach the matter and deal with it, rather than the haphazard method of locking people up in bigger prisons and giving them longer sentences.
I would point out to the Deputy that in reply to his question I said that we are very much in touch with the research being carried out in other countries. We have available to us reports on various projects carried out. Knowing what the costs of such projects can be, I am of the opinion that any moneys that might be available for this would probably be better spent in other ways, possibly in improving the situation dealt with in the last question. We are in a position where we are co-operating with other administrations in Europe and elsewhere with regard to research carried out by them. I might add that in my opinion a great deal of it would not be of any great interest to us.
Is it the Minister's position that we are not a unique society and that there are no special considerations in Irish culture which could be factors leading to the alarming increase in crime among young people at the present time?
The Deputy is aware that there has been a very big increase in crime not only in this country but in all other countries and that the reasons for this increase are similar in all countries.
I want to express my partial agreement with what Deputy Browne said because he is quite right. Would the Minister not agree that there are some features of Irish society which are special to these islands and which might be relevant to the crime pattern which is emerging in society?
I would be prepared to look at this but as it stands I am satisfied that the research done in other countries is of assistance to us. If I can be convinced that there is room for research here because of our particular position I would be quite prepared to consider it.
I am not entirely in agreement with the trend of what Deputy Browne says because I agree with the Minister's point of view that this is essentially a matter for people whose business it is to study such things in our universities and elsewhere. I hope the Minister will ensure that his Department will be openminded to any requests from these quarters for access or facilities in the pursuit of their studies and that he will not regard the results obtained in other countries as being necessarily 100 per cent applicable here.
The Deputy can raise this matter on the Estimate for the Department of Justice.
I would like to assure the Deputy that the Government and I have an open mind on this matter but I am wary of going fullscale into such research because I do not think we are going to learn very much from it. As a result of this and another question by Deputy Browne I have had an opportunity of looking at some of the reports which came about as a result of research. I know these have been costly and personally, I doubt the value of these reports and the return from the money spent getting them.
Question No. 17.
Has any research been carried out in this area by the Department of Justice?