Rural regions outpace Dublin in growth of serious crime

SERIOUS crime is increasing twice as fast in the west and north of the country as in Dublin, statistics show.

Rural counties recorded the biggest increases last year in overall reported serious crime, as well as in sexual offences and assaults.

Donegal saw by far the largest growth in major crimes, increasing by three times the national average and almost four times the Dublin rate.

In addition, Donegal also recorded the biggest rise in sexual offences, increasing at more than three times the national average.

An analysis of the Crime Statistics 2002, published on Thursday, shows that of the 25 garda divisions, the six showing the biggest increases in serious crimes are in rural areas.

Taken as a whole, headline offences in the Northern region incorporation the divisions of Donegal, Sligo/Leitrim and Cavan/Monaghan increased by 40%.

The Western region taking in the divisions of Clare, Galway West, Mayo and Roscommon/Galway East recorded a rise of 33%.

This compares to a national average of 22%, and a rise in Dublin of 17%. Likewise, the north and west account for the biggest increases in sexual offences.

The Western region recorded a massive increase of 134% almost twice that of Dublin, which rose by 78%. The Northern region saw sexual offences jump by 118%.

However, of the six garda divisions in the Dublin area, two recorded major increases. These were the Southern division, with 138%, and the North Central division, with 116%.

Of the cities, Galway had the largest increase, with 167%, while the Waterford/Kilkenny division and the Limerick division recorded drops of 22% and 9% respectively.

In relation to assaults, the Western and Northern regions recorded increases higher than Dublin's, but lower than the city divisions of Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

But rural divisions Sligo/Leitrim (133%), Carlow/Kildare (121%) and Longford/Westmeath (85%) still recorded the biggest increases in this area.

Policymakers will be concerned at the massive growth in serious crime in many rural divisions, particularly the rise in sexual offences and assaults.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne have linked much of the increase in these crimes to excessive and underage drinking, phenomena common to both rural and urban areas.

While overall serious crime is increasing faster in rural areas, homicide offences continue to be concentrated in urban areas. The report shows:

88% rise in homicide offences, from 26 to 49, in Dublin;

200% increase, from three to nine, in Cork city;

67% rise, from 18 to 30 offences, in Limerick.

Overall, the five urban divisions account for 82% of all homicide offences.

Within the Dublin region, the biggest increases were in the Southern division (200%), where homicide offences jumped from five to 15, and the South Central division (133%), where offences rose from three to seven.