Cork crime: Irish Examiner study shows calls to get 'tough' on crime are illogical

Poverty, trauma and addiction play a significant part of the story of crime in Cork, write Orla Lynch, James Windle, and Katharina Swirak

Understanding how crime in Cork intersects with the geography of the city, and how stigma and discrimination are linked to certain communities is key in order to identify mechanisms to address the root causes of criminality in the region.

Crime features heavily in our everyday life. Crime and criminality is routinely reported in the media, politicians regularly speak about ‘getting tough’ on crime, and arguably we have a national obsession with crime dramas and documentaries.

However, the reality of crime is less about serial killers and dramatic kidnappings and more about poverty, trauma and addiction. That is not to say that all crime can be explained by reference to these factors, but they are a significant part of the story of crime in Cork.