Expert group to try and make crime figures more accurate

AN expert group has been set up to try and make official crime figures more accurate.

Garda crime figures have been dogged by criticism and even controversy over the years. The new body will make recommendations on a range of issues to try and address these problems.

Announcing the formation of the expert group, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the body would inform and reassure members of the public of the integrity and usefulness of official crime statistics. “I am firmly of the view that public confidence must be upheld in the validity and legitimacy of crime statistics generally.”

There have been concerns regarding the formation of crime statistics as well as claims figures in one garda division were doctored and the most recent garda annual report was massaged.

An internal garda investigation into claims made of the Waterford/Kilkenny division found no fault in the collation of crime figures.

The Expert Group on Crime Statistics arises from a key recommendation originally made by the National Crime Council in its report Crime in Ireland. That report said the expert group should:

Examine the collation of information relating to crimes reported to and recorded by An Garda Síochána, bearing in mind the new garda PULSE computer system.

Examine the Principal Offence rule used by gardaí which only records the most serious crime committed against a victim rather than the total number of crimes committed l examine the distinctions currently made between offences classified as indictable and non-indictable, now referred to as Headline and Non-Headline offences in the garda annual report

Examine the collation of information relating to other crimes where gardaí do not prosecute, such as ‘white collar’ crimes prosecuted by the Revenue Commissioners.

The chairman of the National Crime Council Padraic White welcomed the new body, saying: “The fear of crime is an issue for individuals and communities and it is absolutely vital the citizens of this country are provided with a better understanding of crime figures and the factors that affect recording patterns.”