Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 23 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 6

Written Answers. - Crime Levels.

Michael D. Higgins

Ceist:

103 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the recent survey carried out at University Hospital Galway, which suggested that many victims of violent crime do not report the offences to the Garda; the plans he has to review the manner of the compiling of Garda crime statistics in view of the growing evidence that they understate the level of actual crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14993/01]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

106 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed following the release of crime statistics regarding the dramatic increase in assault and street violence generally; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that increasing numbers of such crimes are not reported; the measures he plans to address this issue; if he intends the principle of zero tolerance to apply in respect of such crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15048/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 106 together.

I am aware of the recent survey carried out at University Hospital Galway. However, although there is no doubt that the staff at accident and emergency departments perform a demanding job in treating those who suffer injuries, they are not trained crime investigators. For instance, it would not be a straightforward matter for such staff to distinguish victim from perpetrator, as the tendency of perpetrators is to claim victim status.

Nevertheless, it is generally accepted across jurisdictions that a certain proportion of crime goes unreported, although there is no evidence to maintain that the level of unreported crime in Ireland has either increased or decreased in recent years. Although I would always consider it to be in the best interest of each individual who is the victim of a crime to report the matter to the Garda Síochána, the reasons for non-reporting are many and complex, and they are not as amenable to resolution as the Deputy seems to suggest.

For example, in 1999, the Central Statistics Office published the report, Quarterly National Household Survey: Crime and Victimisation, which detailed responses to queries about crimes against individuals and households. The survey found that the percentage of crimes reported to the Garda Síochána varied according to the type of offence. Respondents failed to report the crime involved for a number of reasons, including, for example, the belief that the crime was not serious enough or that they had solved it themselves.

It must also be pointed out that self-report studies, such as victimisation surveys, are not by their nature comparable with Garda statistics. The Central Statistics Office itself noted that its survey results ". . . are not directly comparable with crime statistics published in the Garda Síochána annual report, as there are fundamental differences in sources, definitions and classification methodology." As a consequence, the various techniques for gathering data, including hospital surveys, should best be considered as potentially indicative rather than direct comparables.

In relation to the questions concerning street violence I would refer the Deputy to my answers to today's Questions Nos. 109, 209, 211, 212 and 222. Finally, I would reiterate that, owing to the lack of comparable studies, there is no reason to believe that the level of unreported crime has increased in recent years.