Youth crime levels down nationally but North Cork bucks the trend

YOUTH crime in North Cork rose by six per cent year-on-year according to the latest statistices released from the Department of Justice.

The figures released last week relate to 2015 and reveal that a quarter of all juvenile crimes in County Cork were committed in the Cork North Garda Division.

A total of 1,988 offences were committed by 1,082 juveniles in County Cork in 2015, an average of two crimes per perpertrator. Of these, 502 offences were committed in North Cork in the same year, while in the Cork West division that figure stood at just under 400.

Public Order and theft made up the majority of countywide youth crimes, each accounting for 27 per cent of the overall figure, drugs offences were at four per cent and sexual offences at one per cent.

Meanwhile, one quarter of all youth offences were driving related.

While the crime rate nationwide represents a 19 per cent decrease from the previous year, youth crime in North Cork increased by six per cent over the same period.

Nationally in 2015, juveniles were responsible for two murders and 16 possessions of firearms. There were 241 cases of sexual offence.

Males accounted for three quarters of all youth crimes nationwide.

When a juvenile is apprehended, they can either be brought before a court or can escape with a caution and participate in the Garda Diversion Programme, an alternative to the court system for youths.

Statistics show that the programme has been a highly successful alternative as only 18 per cent of cases led to probation and six per cent resulted in detention, although that does represent a one per cent increase for both from the previous year.

“The Government remains firmly committed to continuing its work to reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour,” Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said, adding that the Garda Youth Diversion Project was doing “excellent work” in this regard.