Crime prevention - Stations are a statement of our intent

The news that gun and drug crime rates have fallen dramatically is very welcome.

Despite the spectacular public impact some gangland murders have had, and the almost perverse interest they provoke, it is reassuring that there has been almost a 50% reduction in these crimes in some parts of the country. In one instance, in Dublin South Central, drug crime has fallen by 51%. These are win-win figures and must be celebrated because of the positive impact they have on communities, families, and individuals.

Curiously, these statistics fly in the face of received wisdom which suggests that crime rates climb during a recession. Though burglaries have increased by 8% — fraud and theft have increased too — it seems that so many of those who fuelled the drugs trade can no longer afford the habit. Basically, the market has dried up and the spoils are no longer worth the war.