NEW FIGURES SHOW there has been a decline in most types of crime in Ireland over the past year – but burglaries, kidnapping and fraud have all risen significantly.

The single biggest drop was in the category of weapons and explosives offences, which fell by just over 15 per cent compared to the same period in 2011.

Overall the Central Statistics Office said that crime had decreased in eleven categories and had risen in three categories in the twelve months to June 2012.

Burglary rose by 10.3 per cent across the 12 months. Fraud rose by 8 per cent and kidnapping increased by 7.8 per cent.

Homicide offences, which include infanticide and dangerous driving causing death, as well as murder and manslaughter,  dropped by more than 20 per cent. There were 51 recorded murders and manslaughter, a decrease of 3 on the previous year.

There were 9,596 dangerous or negligent offences carried out over year, a decrease of 11 per cent compared to the previous year. Most of these offences involved driving a vehicle while over the legal alcohol limit.

Sexual offences fell by just over 4 per cent. The CSO said that the rise in the number of record sexual offences was due mainly to an ongoing review of all cases involving alleged sexual offences reported to the Gardaí, some of which took place many years ago.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter welcomed the drop in crime. He said:

Concerns about crime on the part of the public are real and the impact on victims appalling, but these latest statistics show that most types of crime are in fact falling, which reflects well on the work of An Garda Síochána.

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The Minister said that the growth in the number of burglaries continues to be a matter of concern.

The statistics from the Central Statistics Office covered the period between June 2011 and June 2012.

Among the findings were:

• Homicide offences: down 23.5 per cent
• Weapons and explosives offences: down 15.1 per cent
• Offences against Government, justice procedures and organisation of crime: down 13.6 per cent.
• Public order: down 13.1 per cent
• Dangerous or negligent acts: down 11.3 per cent
• Attempted murder/assault: down 9.7 per cent
• Sexual offences: down 4.1 per cent

• Burglary: up 10.3 per cent
• Fraud: up 8 per cent
• Kidnapping: up 7.8 per cent

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