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Background Information on Northern Ireland Society - Law and Order
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Text: Martin Melaugh ... Research: Fionnuala
McKenna
Material is added to this site on a regular basis - information on this page may change
Law and Order
This section deals specifically with the issue of Law and Order
from a non-political perspective. For information relating to
law and order and the political situation in Northern Ireland,
the reader may wish to consult the section on Security.
- General issues of law and order are upheld by the police force
in Northern Ireland, the Royal Ulster Constabulary. This force
came into existence in 1922, and its membership today stands at
8,489 plus a further 4,967 full and part-time reserves, bringing
this to a grand total of 13,486. In proportionate terms this is
considerably higher than anywhere else in the UK. It represents
a ratio of one police officer per 140 civilians, as opposed to 1:434
in England, 1:359 in Scotland and 1:459 in Wales.
- On the whole, the overall level of crime in Northern Ireland is
significantly lower than that in England, Scotland or Wales, and
in 1995, notifiable offences (per 100,000 population) in Northern
Ireland were less than half of that recorded in England and Wales.
There were however three categories in which Northern Ireland
had a higher rate of offenders than any of the other areas. These
categories are sexual offences, fraud and forgery and 'other'
offences. Northern Ireland also has a high proportion of burglaries
(although proportionately fewer than England and Wales) and in
1995, these accounted for almost three quarters of all recorded
crime in Northern Ireland.
- The number of drugs related offences in Northern Ireland has been
increasing steadily and rapidly over the past number of years,
with the number of arrests for drugs charges having more than
tripled in the five years between 1990 and 1995. Having said this
however, these figures are still dramatically lower than the figures
for any other part of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland.
- In terms of offences cleared up, Northern Ireland has a higher
percentage of crimes solved or cleared up than the rest of the
UK. In 1995, the clear-up rate for crime in Northern Ireland was
36 per cent, while England and Wales had an average clear-up rate
of only 26 per cent.
- The numbers of young offenders in Northern Ireland has decreased
dramatically over the past ten or so years. The overall figure
for offences caused by juveniles in 1985 was 1,523 but by 1994,
this figure had fallen to 879. The age group which represents
the greatest number of overall offenders, is the 21-29 age bracket,
and for every age bracket there are consistently more male offenders
than female.
Sources:
The following tables provide further details regarding employment
and unemployment in Northern Ireland. Much of this material has
been taken from the Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics
(1996), Regional Trends (1996), Northern Ireland Statistics and
Research Agengy: Focus on Northern Ireland (1997), and the Irish Almanac
and Yearbook of Facts (1997).
Notifiable Offences Recorded and Cleared by the Police in Northern
Ireland, 1995-1996
Notifiable Offences Recorded and Cleared by the Police in Northern Ireland,
England and Wales: A comparison by Offence Group, 1981 and 1994
Drugs Offences and Arrests, 1990-1995
Seizures of Controlled Drugs, 1994: A comparison with England,
Scotland and Wales
Persons found Guilty, Cautioned or Dealt with by compounding for
drug offences: A comparison with England, Scotland and Wales, 1994
Police Manpower, 1994-1995: A comparison with England, Scotland
and Wales
Young Offenders: Juveniles Found Guilty by Offence Group and Disposal, 1985-1994
Persons found guilty of Indictable Offences in Northern Ireland,
1994
Persons Sentenced for Indictable Offences: by Disposal, 1995
Notifiable Offences Known and Cleared by the Police in Northern Ireland, 1995 and 1996
| . | 1996
| 1995 |
| . | Total offences recorded
| Total offences cleared
| Total offences recorded
| Total offences cleared
|
| Offences against the person | 5,640
| 3,572 | 5,150
| 3,446 |
| Sexual Offences | 1,745
| 1,484 | 1,679
| 1,369 |
| Burglaries | 16,114
| 2,908 | 16,457
| 3,194 |
| Robberies | 1,725
| 281 | 1,539
| 298 |
| Thefts | 32,772
| 9,455 | 33,472
| 10,526 |
| Frauds and Forgeries | 4,081
| 2,617 | 4,884
| 3,060 |
| Criminal Damage | 4,847
| 1,332 | 3,772
| 1,232 |
| Offences against the state | 400
| 322 | 339
| 305 |
| Other Notifiable Offences | 1,225
| 1,132 | 1,516
| 1,408 |
| Grand Totals | 68,549
| 23,103 | 68,808
| 24,838 |
(Source: Chief Constable's Annual Report, 1996)
Notifiable Offences Recorded by the Police and Cleared Up:
Northern Ireland, England and Wales
| . | Offences Recorded
(per 100,000 population)
| Offences Cleared-Up (%)
|
| . | Northern Ireland
| England and Wales
| Northern Ireland |
England and Wales |
| . | 1985
| 1995 | 1985
| 1995 | 1995
| 1995 |
| Violence against the Person | 183
| 312 | 245
| 412 | 67
| 77 |
| Sexual Offences | 42
| 102 | 43
| 59 | 82
| 76 |
| Burglary | 1,301
| 998 | 1,742
| 2,401 | 19
| 21 |
| Robbery | 116
| 93 | 55
| 132 | 19
| 23 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | 1,893
| 2,030 | 3,786
| 4,750 | 31
| 23 |
| Fraud and Forgery | 237
| 296 | 271
| 258 | 63
| 50 |
| Criminal damage | 205
| 229 | 1,083
| 1,355 | 33
| 19 |
| Other offences | 68
| 112 | 34
| 98 | 92
| 96 |
| Total Offences | 4,046
| 4,173 | 7,259
| 9,465 | 36
| 26 |
(Source: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency,
Focus on Northern Ireland, 1997)
Please note: Figures for Scotland are not comparable due to the
fact that the legal system there differs from the rest of the
UK.
Drugs Offences and Arrests in Northern Ireland, 1990-1995
| . | Offences
| Arrests | Persons Proceeded Against
|
| 1990 | -
| 429 | 122
|
| 1991 | 287
| 453 | 162
|
| 1992 | 619
| 610 | 294
|
| 1993 | 811
| 976 | 454
|
| 1994 | 1,286
| 1,196 | 538
|
| 1995 | 1,426
| 1,558 | 739
|
(Source: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency,
Focus on Northern Ireland, 1997)
Seizures of controlled Drugs, 1994: A comparison with
England, Scotland and Wales (Rates per 100,000 population)
| . | Class A Drugs
| Class B Drugs
|
| . | Heroin
| Cocaine | LSD
| MDMA (Ecstasy) |
All class A drugs | Cannabis
| Amphet-
amines
| All class B drugs |
| England | 3,838
| 2,872 | 1,769
| 2,932 | 11,833
| 73,227 | 10,853
| 80,276 |
| Wales | 148
| 37 | 181
| 109 | 578
| 4,944 | 749
| 5,386 |
| Scotland | 487
| 79 | 258
| 341 | 1,208
| 9,503 | 1,222
| 10,302 |
| Northern Ireland | 5
| 4 | 76
| 189 | 245
| 792 | 130
| 868 |
(Source: Office for National Statistics, Regional Trends,
1997, p.144)
Persons found guilty, cautioned or dealt with by compounding
for drug offences: by type of drug, 1994. A comparison of Northern
Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
(Rates per 100,000 population)
| . | Class A Drugs
| Class B Drugs
| . |
| . | Heroin
| Cocaine | LSD
| MDMA (Ecstasy) |
Cannabis | Ampheta
-mines
| All Drugs |
| Northern Ireland | -
| - | -
| - | 2
| - | 3
|
| England | 6
| 3 | 3
| 4 | 132
| 15 | 155
|
| Scotland | 3
| - | 4
| 2 | 71
| 13 | 88
|
| Wales | 3
| 5 | 4
| 1 | 152
| 19 | 172
|
(Source: Office for National Statistics, Regional Trends,
1996, p.144)
Police Manpower: by type, 1994-1995
| . | .
| Police Officers on ordinary duty
(% of which)
| .
| .
| Special Constables and civilian staff (rates per 1,000 officers on ordinary duty)
| . |
| . | Number
| Ethnic
Minorities |
Women
Officers | Population per Officer
| Hectares per Officer | Special Constables
| Civilian
Staff |
Traffic Wardens
(Numbers) |
| Northern Ireland | 11,692
| - | 8.5
| 140 | 121
| 128 | 235
| 152 |
| England | 118,827
| 1.8 | 14.7
| 434 | 110
| 159 | 411
| 4,526 |
| Scotland | 14,313
| 0.2 | 11.7
| 359 | 539
| 138 | 259
| 535 |
| Wales | 6,353
| 0.6 | 10.9
| 459 | 327
| 194 | 348
| 168 |
(Source: Office for National Statistics, Regional Trends,
1996, p.146)
Young Offenders: Juveniles found guilty by offence group and
disposal, 1985-1994
| . | 1985 | 1986
| 1987 | 1988 |
1989 | 1990 | 1991
| 1992 | 1993 |
1994 |
| Indictable Offences |
| Burglary and Robbery | 469
| 385 | 285
| 270 | 239
| 242 | 201
| 172 | 159
| 189 |
| Fraud | 12 |
10 | 21
| 6 | 10
| 10 | 10
| 16 | 14
| 14 |
| Theft and Unauthorised Taking | 390
| 487 | 421
| 417 | 291
| 289 | 296
| 224 | 252
| 249 |
| Handling Stolen Goods | 28
| 43 | 14
| 40 | 17
| 40 | 32
| 23 | 28
| 34 |
| Sexual Offences | 7
| 22 | 12
| 15 | 14
| 17 | 8
| 11 | 7
| 8 |
| Offences against the Person | 26
| 47 | 55
| 57 | 33
| 44 | 38
| 46 | 43
| 49 |
| Other Offences | 54
| 175 | 175
| 144 | 148
| 106 | 108
| 96 | 97
| 131 |
| All Indictable Offences | 921
| 1,169 | 983
| 909 | 752
| 748 | 693
| 588 | 600
| 674 |
|
| Non-indictable Offences |
| Assaults | 105
| 94 | 78
| 80 | 82
| 59 | 53
| 55 | 63
| 68 |
| Offences connected with Motor Vehicles |
213 | 370
| 128 | 100
| 81 | 92
| 71 | 40
| 44 | 74
|
| Malicious Damage | 120
| 28 | 29
| 9 | 10
| 9 | 3
| 2 | 1
| 2 |
| Disorderly Behaviour | 127
| 123 | 90
| 49 | 47
| 47 | 41
| 36 | 28
| 31 |
| Other Offences | 61
| 82 | 66
| 52 | 47
| 23 | 14
| 19 | 33
| 30 |
| All Non-indictable Offences | 602
| 697 | 391
| 290 | 267
| 230 | 182
| 152 | 169
| 205 |
|
| Disposal by Courts |
| Absolute Discharge | 24
| 40 | 23
| 19 | 12
| 15 | 10
| 9 | 4
| 9 |
| Conditional Discharge | 449
| 454 | 375
| 266 | 215
| 221 | 222
| 209 | 258
| 241 |
| Fine | 282 |
548 | 270
| 205 | 174
| 135 | 91
| 79 | 52
| 66 |
| Probation Order | 294
| 304 | 221
| 255 | 213
| 229 | 174
| 171 | 165
| 198 |
| Training School Order | 189
| 259 | 223
| 170 | 173
| 144 | 174
| 119 | 118
| 187 |
| Remand Home Order | 21
| 16 | 3
| 3 | 2
| 8 | 10
| 2 | 1
| 2 |
| Young Offenders Centre[1] | -
| - | -
| - | -
| - | 31
| 32 | 23
| 30 |
| Community Service Order[2] | -
| - | -
| - | -
| - | 27
| 22 | 20
| 23 |
| Otherwise dealt with | 264
| 245 | 259
| 281 | 230
| 226 | 136
| 97 | 128
| 123 |
| All Offences | 1,523
| 1,866 | 1,374
| 1,199 | 1,019
| 978 | 875
| 740 | 769
| 879 |
(Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics,
1996)
[1] Applicable to 16 year olds from 30 October 1989
[2] Included in the 'otherwise dealt with' category until 1991
Persons found Guilty of Indictable Offences: by Offence Group
and Age (1994)
(a) Found Guilty at Magistrates' Courts
(a) Found Guilty at Crown Courts
(a) Found Guilty at Magistrates' Courts
| . | Age
| . |
| Offence Group | <14
| 14-16 | 17-20
| 21-29 | 30-49
| >50
| Age unknown | All ages
|
| Males |
| Offences against the person | -
| 33 | 225
| 502 | 310
| 19 | 8
| 1,097 |
| Sexual Offences | -
| 6 | 14
| 20 | 97
| 14 | -
| 81 |
| Burglary | 39
| 131 | 292
| 259 | 129
| 6 | 11
| 867 |
| Robbery | -
| 7 | 3
| - | -
| - | -
| 10 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | 28
| 214 | 632
| 866 | 519
| 76 | 16
| 2,351 |
| Fraud and Forgery | 2
| 10 | 88
| 182 | 122
| 18 | -
| 422 |
| Criminal Damage | 17
| 92 | 313
| 345 | 191
| 25 | 11
| 994 |
| Others | - |
14 | 164
| 324 | 123
| 16 | 4
| 645 |
| All Males | 86
| 507 | 1,731
| 2,498 | 1,421
| 174 | 50
| 6,467 |
|
| Females |
| Offences against the person | 1
| 6 | 17
| 36 | 22
| 1 | 2
| 85 |
| Sexual Offences | -
| - | -
| - | -
| - | -
| - |
| Burglary | 1
| 6 | 7
| 12 | 1
| - | -
| 27 |
| Robbery | -
| - | -
| - | -
| - | -
| - |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | 8
| 30 | 123
| 153 | 186
| 33 | 4
| 537 |
| Fraud and Forgery | -
| 2 | 24
| 32 | 39
| 2 | -
| 99 |
| Criminal Damage | 1
| 7 | 14
| 23 | 21
| 1 | 1
| 68 |
| Others | - |
- | 6
| 18 | 11
| - | -
| 35 |
| All Females | 11
| 51 | 191
| 274 | 280
| 37 | 7
| 851 |
|
| All Persons | 97
| 558 | 1,922
| 2,772 | 1,701
| 211 | 57
| 7,318 |
(b) Found Guilty at Crown Courts
| . | Age
| . |
| Offence Group | <14
| 14-16 | 17-20
| 21-29 | 30-49
| >50
| Age unknown | All ages
|
| Males |
| Offences against the person | -
| 5 | 60
| 146 | 83
| 7 | -
| 301 |
| Sexual Offences | -
| 2 | 8
| 15 | 25
| 16 | -
| 65 |
| Burglary | -
| 2 | 22
| 34 | 22
| 2 | -
| 82 |
| Robbery | -
| 2 | 41
| 89 | 24
| - | -
| 156 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | -
| 3 | 20
| 40 | 58
| 12 | 2
| 135 |
| Fraud and Forgery | -
| - | 2
| 8 | 24
| 5 | 1
| 40 |
| Criminal Damage | -
| - | 15
| 32 | 22
| 1 | -
| 70 |
| Others | - |
- | 16
| 51 | 40
| 4 | -
| 111 |
| All Males | -
| 14 | 186
| 415 | 298
| 47 | 3
| 961 |
|
| Females |
| Offences against the person | -
| 4 | 2
| 4 | 3
| 1 | 1
| 15 |
| Sexual Offences | -
| - | -
| - | 1
| - | -
| 1 |
| Burglary | -
| 1 | -
| 2 | -
| - | -
| 3 |
| Robbery | -
| - | 1
| 1 | -
| - | -
| 2 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | -
| - | 1
| 7 | 9
| 4 | -
| 21 |
| Fraud and Forgery | -
| - | -
| 2 | 4
| 1 | -
| 7 |
| Criminal Damage | -
| - | -
| 1 | 1
| - | -
| 2 |
| Others | - |
- | 1
| 11 | 3
| - | 1
| 15 |
| All Females | -
| 5 | 5
| 28 | 21
| 6 | 4
| 66 |
|
| All Persons | -
| 19 | 189
| 443 | 319
| 53 | 4
| 1,027 |
(Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics,
1996)
Persons sentenced for indictable offences: by disposal, 1995
| . | Crown Court
| Magistrates
|
| . | Northern Ireland
(%)
| England and Wales
(%)
| Northern Ireland
(%)
| England and Wales
(%)
|
| Discharge | 6
| 5 | 16
| 23 |
| Fine | 2 |
5 | 29
| 37 |
| Any Community Sentence[1] | 10
| 30 | 18
| 28 |
| Suspended Sentence | 28
| 3 | 18
| - |
| Immediate Custodial Sentence | 53
| 56 | 17
| 9 |
| Otherwise Dealt With[2] | -
| 3 | 1
| 2 |
|
| All Persons Sentenced (number) | 1,157
| 71,570 | 7,576
| 230,289 |
[1] Includes probation, community service, supervision and attendance
centre orders as well as combination orders in England and Wales
only
[2] Includes Section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act
1933 (England and Wales)
(Source: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency,
Focus on Northern Ireland, 1997)
|
