Firms 'have little faith in gardaí'

JUST 2% of small businesses have any confidence in the criminal justice system to deter repeated criminal activity, according to a new survey.

The poll which was carried out by the Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Association (ISME) found that nearly 40% of businesses which had reported a crime were not satisfied with the garda response.

The small firms lobby group has estimated that, based on the findings, crime has cost the sector €2 billion per annum in direct costs.

The ISME survey of 300 companies found that:

55% of small businesses had been affected by crime a 2% increase on the previous year

the figure rose to 77% among the retail sector

only 10% believed the perpetrator of a crime would be apprehended

a quarter did not report a criminal incident to gardaí

one third of companies that didn't report claimed a lack of faith that the criminal would be charged

"The results of the survey are a dreadful indictment of our law

enforcement agency," said ISME chief executive Mark Fielding.

He said the survey highlighted a perception among small business owners that crimes against their businesses were not viewed as real crime and therefore not taken seriously.

"This fact unfortunately seems to have credence at official level, with no separate recording of business crime by the gardaí. Consequently, it is extremely difficult to evaluate the extent and impact of business crime without having access to the relevant information."

He said only 2% of those surveyed had any confidence in the judicial system.

"Sentencing policy is seen as inconsistent and unfair and undermines their confidence in the law enforcement agencies and also discourages owner-managers from reporting crime," said Mr Fielding.

He said there was a perception that offenders received lighter sentences for crime against businesses than other crimes.

"It is of no surprise, therefore, that 64% of small businesses would like to see tougher sentencing as a measure in reducing business crime," said Mr Fielding.

Only 11% of respondents who had reported incidents said gardaí were effective.

The survey found that criminal activity against businesses had significant "unseen" consequences, with 17% of affected companies saying staff morale had been negatively affected.

Effects included absenteeism, lower productivity and increased employee turnover.

ISME called for a national forum on crime against businesses and a "radical reassessment by the judiciary" of their sentencing policies.

The body also called for more gardaí on patrol and increased use of CCTV.