Crime of our lives
»» Survey reveals one in ten were a victim in past year »» Damage or theft of property is top concern for people
A THIRD of people said crime and anti-social behaviour in their local area has impacted on their quality of life, a study has revealed.
In Dublin, the figure rises to four in 10 residents who feel they have been negatively affected.
New statistics show one in 10 people were the victim of a crime last year.
The Crime and Victimisation study added fear of damage to or theft of property is the crime people most worry about, while 20% are concerned at being targeted online.
One in 25 households have been the target of thieves and burglars.
That figure leaps to one in five for farming families.
Three-quarters said they felt safe walking in their local area at night, however, the proportion who felt unsafe was higher for women than for men and higher in more disadvantaged areas of the country.
Less than half the population in Ireland are confident that criminals are brought to justice.
The findings show 38% of people in the most disadvantaged areas feel “very” or “quite” confident that people are brought to justice, compared to 53% of those living in the most affluent areas.
More than two-thirds said they felt gardai were “very” or “quite effective” at tackling crime in their local area.
The Dublin region had the highest reported rate of victims, at 13%, for personal crime, compared to a low of 5% in the border region.
MOTIVATIONS
A total of 4% of victims believed the crime was motivated by race, religion or ethnicity, while 3% stated they felt it was driven by gender.
The study also found 5% of cyclists have had their bikes stolen.
Statistician Sam Scriven said the survey asked about people’s experiences, perceptions and reactions to crime.
He added: “One in 10 said they had been a victim of a violent or non-violent theft or attempted theft, an assault or a fraud crime in the 12 months prior to interview.
“Younger people were more likely to be a victim of these types of crime, with 14% of persons aged 18 to 29 saying they had been a victim compared to 5% of people over 60.
“One in 25 households said they had suffered either a burglary or vandalism to their property in the 12 months prior to interview, with the highest rates in Dublin and lowest rates in the border and west regions.
“Around six out of 10 households reported these incidents to the Garda, with the main reason given for nonreporting being that the incident wasn’t considered serious enough.”