Murder rate could be worst ever

If the homicide rate of last month continues on the graph it already is on, then this year could have the worst murder and manslaughter rate since garda records began.

Last month eight murders were committed, which was one-third more than committed in January, 2002 - and last year was the worst ever since 1947 for murders and manslaughters which saw 62 perpetrated.

Despite this trend and the events in Limerick over the past week, and the crime level generally, the country is not experiencing a tide of violence, something which most people would not perceive to be the case.

According to Dr Ian O’Donnell of the Institute of Criminology in UCD people get very frightened because they think the country is being swept by a tide of violence. The reality is different he maintains, because most counties ended last year without experiencing a killing.

Consequently, homicide has become an increasingly urban phenomenon in recent years, with a massive upsurge in Dublin in particular, which with 35 last year showed an increase of almost 120% in the past three years.

Dr O’Donnell relates the increase in lethal violence in the mid-90s to an increase in the population, and a key part in the increase was the massive increase in alcohol consumption.