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Irish Examiner
25-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: With ambition and vision, we can upend this cycle of disadvantage and harm
The Cork crime analysis in the Irish Examiner reveals concerning findings on patterns of crime in the city. It is perhaps to some, not a surprise, but nevertheless extremely saddening when we think of the direct victims, but also the hurt felt by the perpetrators' own families, including children and communities. The impact is wide, but there is hope too. These findings are not inevitable; there are things that can be done to make sure the issues highlighted are not repeated. The areas highlighted in this project are not homogenous populations. The findings do not define a whole neighbourhood or community, home to people with strong social ties; children who care about their environment, about road safety, love their educators and grannies; new parents who want the best for their babies; sports stars and entrepreneurs who inspire the next generation. You can read the entire three-day Cork Crime series in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and ePaper and online here. Many move out, mobilising on their education, employment, and wider networks forged. New families are moving in too, choosing to live in these neighbourhoods, close to the city and places of work, education and amenities. Others wish to secure homes close to their families, where they grew up. The high cost of disadvantage We cannot be blinkered to the challenges certain groups and communities face either. If this project was repeated in other cities, we would see similar, if not starker trends. This is a national and international story that many are trying to address, in a context where the vulnerabilities of economically poorer areas and groups are exposed. It is not just patterns of crime, but of intergenerational educational attainment, employment, income, social capital, and more. Last month, the ERSI, commissioned by Pobal, reported a widening health gap between the most and least disadvantaged communities. We often blame parents. But parents who experience poverty, marginalisation, and enduring levels of toxic stress can find it hard to be the parent they wish to be. These are very deep wounds and deep barriers to break out of and can be passed on to the next generation. 'Adverse childhood experiences' study The original adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study published by Vincent Felitti, Robert Anda, and colleagues in 1998 revealed that having four or more ACEs almost doubled the risk of heart disease and cancer, increased the likelihood of becoming an alcoholic by 700%, and the risk of attempted suicide by 1,200%. While ACEs are present across society, children growing up in disadvantaged areas, in poverty, and those of a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to be exposed to ACEs and more likely to experience 'clustering' of ACEs. Children carry these experiences into preschool and school, early adulthood, and into the parent they may become. That people can succeed carrying all this on their back, without the resources many are accustomed to, I think is extraordinary. Likely, people who have managed to traverse these challenges, growing up in the same areas highlighted in this report, experienced positive childhood experiences along the way. Their needs met by consistent, nurturing, caregiving relationships, high-quality secure homes, caring services, loving and responsive educators, a sense of belonging. Structural barriers buffered by community services, social support, welfare transfers, the presence of sports, culture, and arts. Without those positive experiences and resources some may experience ill-health, unemployment, poor family relationships, and some may participate in crime. But even these people were babies once. It didn't start out like this. Many of the convictions indicate the involvement also of drugs and addiction. People can be drawn into crime, driven by addiction or by a social network that provides a sense of connection and identity. A disproportionate number of criminal convictions are handed down to people in disadvantaged parts of Cork. But there is nothing inevitable about it: Many growing up in those areas succeed in life — likely due to positive relationships and sufficient supports to navigate their way through 'adverse childhood experiences'. Picture: Larry Cummins We know from studies internationally that speech, language and communication needs are more prevalent in the prison population and people in contact with youth justice services than the general population. Prisoners are more likely to come from economically poorer backgrounds and can have severe unmet educational, learning, and development needs. Former prisoners sometimes describe prison as a relief, giving structure, education, routine, fitness, and an opportunity to begin addressing their addiction, reevaluating their lives, healing trauma, and healing relationships. In 2023, then minister for justice Helen McEntee informed the Dáil that the average annual cost of a prison space during 2022 was €84,067. Probation and supervision in the community is less than 10% of that, according to the Irish Penal Reform Trust. In 2024, the CSO reported that re-offending declines with age, but over 84% of young adults under 21 re-offended within three years. Furthermore, how many return to homelessness and addiction? Crime prevention is an investment It is a huge economic expense to respond to crime and deal with its wider human toll. What if it could have been prevented, or intervention occurred much earlier? A big part of that is by reducing inequalities felt by poorer communities, especially reducing child poverty, which simply steals away childhoods for a lifetime and more. We also need to ensure we have well-resourced community service provision, early relationship support, trauma-informed care and education, available therapies, and access to services. This is the idea of the 'village' that raises a child. It is society that makes up the village, intercepts the risks and harms and sets a stronger, more positive foundation for children and their families. Let's Grow Together works with a village of parents, caregivers, children themselves, schools, youth services, early years services, health and social services, and policy-makers to create opportunities for children and their families to reach their potential. The Department of Children's own research in 2024 showed that early childhood home-visiting programmes — one of the services provided by Let's Grow Together — have a 1:4 return on investment for the exchequer. 'Firefighting' But how do you invest in something that causes something else to not happen? Especially in a policy world that is so determined by the political cycle and siloed government departments and agencies. It is also incredibly hard to justify when you see the crisis in front of you, you must react, but then get caught in a firefight. I get it, how could you not put the fire out? This is played out in all kinds of ways on a daily basis across all kinds of services and systems for children and their families. Barriers and gaps from sectors, services, and policies which weaken the village as a whole and can lead a child or young person to engage in activities harmful to themselves and others. In every interaction, we need far more kindness, empathy, flexibility, more access, more understanding. We need bravery and ambition to turn the findings of this project on its head, go upstream and build the village even stronger and break the intergenerational cycle of harm and get back to celebrating these communities for what they really are. Katherine Harford is executive director of Let's Grow Together and is the chair of the national Prevention and Early Intervention Network.
Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: Irish Examiner study shows calls to get 'tough' on crime are illogical
Crime features heavily in our everyday life. Crime and criminality is routinely reported in the media, politicians regularly speak about 'getting tough' on crime, and arguably we have a national obsession with crime dramas and documentaries. However, the reality of crime is less about serial killers and dramatic kidnappings and more about poverty, trauma and addiction. That is not to say that all crime can be explained by reference to these factors, but they are a significant part of the story of crime in Cork. The court data collated by the Irish Examiner exposes the harsh reality of crime in Cork. Overall, it reflects exactly the type of issues that are documented in criminological research globally: predominantly male repeat offenders, originating from areas besieged by poverty, a prevalence of mental health issues, (poly)addiction and homelessness. You can read the entire three-day Cork Crime series in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and ePaper and online here. A far cry from the sensationalist crime drama we consume on a daily basis, the data highlights the relationship between crime and the neglect of areas of our city, the lack of housing, failing mental health services, the absence of comprehensive holistic addiction services, and limited youth support programmes. In light of this, calls to be 'tough' on crime, or to increase prison sentences are exposed as illogical. Prisons are seldom rehabilitative, but a prison sentence may provide some respite from the chaos of life on the streets or access to addiction and mental health services unavailable in the community. That people must go to prison for services which should be available in the community is a damning indictment of our community-based support services. Compounding the problem, individuals in prison are routinely released, after serving short sentences, to unsuitable accommodation and limited suitable community support services. Understanding the circumstances and backgrounds of individuals convicted of crime is important in order to develop meaningful interventions, but this does not mean that the harms caused to the victims should go unacknowledged. The impact of being a victim of crime is not to be underestimated; it can be life-changing. Having to engage with the criminal justice system as a victim or a witness can also be difficult and retraumatising. The needs of victims are often neglected and their experiences sidelined, even though their rights are defined in the Victims of Crime Act 2017. However, understanding the origins of crime remains important for victims namely because it goes some way to preventing further victimisation, but it also helps individuals impacted by crime make meaning of what happened to them. In an effort to understand offending, criminological research describes some root causes of crime that are similar internationally, but also notes there are sometimes local or hyper-local drivers of crime (e.g. gang feuding). Drivers of crime in Cork Reinforcing the findings of the Irish Examiner data, recent research in Cork identified addiction as a key driver of criminal activity. Therefore, somewhat self-evidently, preventing crime requires the provision of addiction support services, and mechanisms to reduce problematic drug use. Because addiction emerges from a range of issues, including childhood trauma, a family history of addiction, deprivation etc, prevention also requires addressing under-education, unemployment, poverty, housing and parenting support. Engaging in crime prevention is often less about stopping crime and more about supporting individuals to build capacity to function effectively across all domains of life. Importantly, crime cannot be understood solely by focusing on the individual engaging in criminal acts. We must understand the broader social and geographic factors. The dynamics of a city can perpetuate or prevent criminal activity, as can a range of social conditions. For example, during covid there was a decline in almost all crime rates except for homicides, cybercrimes and intimate partner violence. This was due in part to a lack of opportunity to commit crime, but once restrictions were lifted, the crime rates "rebounded". This also points to the stark difference between public and private crimes. Most of those in the Examiner database were arrested for the most visible offences (i.e. traffic crime, assault) but private crimes (i.e. domestic violence and intimate partner violence) which occur within the home can remain hidden. Inequalities Criminological research often highlights the influence of inequalities on offending. As we can see from the data, homelessness features prominently in the life stories of individuals involved with the criminal justice system. Research points to the relationship between homelessness, addiction, mental ill health and crime by identifying that individuals experiencing these issues are the most likely to be in prison. What we do not see directly in the data, but what we know from research, is that persons with offending histories have experienced significant harms themselves - often by neglect and lack of adequate care and support. It is also highly likely that the individuals in question have experienced repeat victimisation. Double standards Homeless women are especially vulnerable to repeat and multiple victimisation, and the women in prisons in Ireland, like elsewhere, are very likely to have experienced trauma and victimhood prior to incarceration. Whilst women are less likely than men to commit certain criminal acts, their experience of the criminal justice system reflects the view society has of women who offend. Women who offend are judged more harshly than men when they commit a crime, because they are seen to have violated society's expectations of women as well as committing a criminal offence. Criminologists call this double deviance, and we see double standards repeatedly played out in court regarding the sentences handed down to women. For example in 2021, 8% of female committals to prison were for non-payment of court-ordered fines, double the comparable figure for men (4%). As the only women's prisons are in Limerick and Dublin (pictured), women with children are dependent on a guardian travelling to bring her children, in some cases, halfway across the country. File picture: Collins, Dublin The implications for women being sent to prison, most of whom are on short sentences, can be severe – they can lose housing, they can lose custody of their children, and with short sentences, they have no access to meaningful support services. Furthermore, as the only women's prisons are in Limerick and Dublin women with children are dependent on a guardian travelling to bring her children, in some cases, halfway across the country. The story of crime in Cork is predominantly one of poverty, addiction, homelessness and repeat offending. Understanding how this intersects with the geography of the city, and how stigma and discrimination are linked to certain communities is key in order to identify mechanisms to address the root causes of criminality in the region. Prof Orla Lynch, James Windle, and Katharina Swirak are with the Department of Criminology, UCC
Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: Men jailed for twice as long as women, court data over five years reveals
Men accounted for 87% of jail terms analysed from the Cork courts over the last five years, averaging a 23-month sentence — just over twice as long as the average sentence imposed on women. This is one of the key findings from a major analysis of thousands of court reports published in the Irish Examiner and The Echo between 2020 and 2024. The data shows that, of the just over 1,400 cases where jail terms were imposed, men were involved in 1,232 of the cases — representing a total of 87% of all data analysed. The average man sent to jail in that time was aged 34. He was most likely to have been charged with theft, assault, public order, or drugs offences — which were mentioned in the vast majority of the jail terms. And he was most likely to be of no fixed address, or a resident of Cork Simon, or to have an address on the northside of the city. Men by crime This is one of the articles published in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and online here on Day 2 of the three-day Cork Crime series. The average woman jailed was also aged 34, with 61% of the cases analysed involving a sentence for theft. The average woman had previous related convictions, and was also most likely to be struggling with addiction, with alcohol or drugs mentioned in 52% of the cases. Jail terms The average jail sentence handed down for a man was just over 23 months, over twice the average jail term imposed on women — most likely because men were involved in more serious types of crime. Previous convictions were a factor in almost 67% of cases involving a woman, but they were a factor in 56% of the cases involving men. Addiction affecting men and women alike Addiction issues were evenly spread between men and woman, the research found, with a mention of addiction, alcohol, or drugs in two thirds of the cases involving women, but in almost three quarters of the cases involving men. A breakdown of the headline crimes for men and women reveals some interesting trends, with theft mentioned in almost two thirds of the jail sentences involving women, but in just over a quarter of the cases involving men. Theft is women's top crime category Women by crime The top crime category for women was theft, which was mentioned in almost 61% of the jail sentences imposed, almost three times more than the next category — public order. Public order was mentioned in a fifth of the cases involving women, with assault mentioned in 15% of the cases, followed by burglary and criminal damage tied in fourth place then drugs for personal use, road traffic offences, drugs for sale or supply, offences against the government or court, and dangerous driving. Assault and public order offences However, for men, while theft was also the most often mentioned offence, it was involved in just 27% of the cases, followed by assault, and then public order — a reverse of the second and third most frequently mentioned offences involving women. Assault and public order were mentioned much more frequently in men's jail terms — assault in just over a fifth of the cases analysed, with public order mentioned in almost 17% of the cases. Combined, these three offences were mentioned in about half of all the sentences involving men, followed by drugs for sale or supply, weapons and explosives, burglary, criminal damage, drugs for personal use, offences against the government or the court, robbery, harassment, and dangerous driving. For men, there were 34 sentences for murder attempts or threats, 18 sentences for rape, 14 sentences for negligence, eight life sentences for murder — almost three times the rate for women — eight sentences for child pornography, six for dangerous driving causing death, and five manslaughter sentences. Women accounted for three life sentences handed down for murder during the period analysed.
Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: Men get 87% of jail sentences and for terms twice as long as those given to women
Men accounted for 87% of jail terms analysed from the Cork courts over the last five years, averaging a 23-month sentence — just over twice as long as the average sentence imposed on women. This is one of the key findings from a major analysis of thousands of court reports published in the Irish Examiner and The Echo between 2020 and 2024. The data shows that, of the just over 1,400 cases where jail terms were imposed, men were involved in 1,232 of the cases — representing a total of 87% of all data analysed. The average man sent to jail in that time was aged 34. He was most likely to have been charged with theft, assault, public order, or drugs offences — which were mentioned in the vast majority of the jail terms. And he was most likely to be of no fixed address, or a resident of Cork Simon, or to have an address on the northside of the city. This is one of the articles published in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and online here on Day 2 of the three-day Cork Crime series. The average woman jailed was also aged 34, with 61% of the cases analysed involving a sentence for theft. The average woman had previous related convictions, and was also most likely to be struggling with addiction, with alcohol or drugs mentioned in 52% of the cases. Jail terms The average jail sentence handed down for a man was just over 23 months, over twice the average jail term imposed on women — most likely because men were involved in more serious types of crime. Previous convictions were a factor in almost 67% of cases involving a woman, but they were a factor in 56% of the cases involving men. Addiction affecting men and women alike Addiction issues were evenly spread between men and woman, the research found, with a mention of addiction, alcohol, or drugs in two thirds of the cases involving women, but in almost three quarters of the cases involving men. A breakdown of the headline crimes for men and women reveals some interesting trends, with theft mentioned in almost two thirds of the jail sentences involving women, but in just over a quarter of the cases involving men. Theft is women's top crime category The top crime category for women was theft, which was mentioned in almost 61% of the jail sentences imposed, almost three times more than the next category — public order. Public order was mentioned in a fifth of the cases involving women, with assault mentioned in 15% of the cases, followed by burglary and criminal damage tied in fourth place then drugs for personal use, road traffic offences, drugs for sale or supply, offences against the government or court, and dangerous driving. Assault and public order offences However, for men, while theft was also the most often mentioned offence, it was involved in just 27% of the cases, followed by assault, and then public order — a reverse of the second and third most frequently mentioned offences involving women. Assault and public order were mentioned much more frequently in men's jail terms — assault in just over a fifth of the cases analysed, with public order mentioned in almost 17% of the cases. Combined, these three offences were mentioned in about half of all the sentences involving men, followed by drugs for sale or supply, weapons and explosives, burglary, criminal damage, drugs for personal use, offences against the government or the court, robbery, harassment, and dangerous driving. For men, there were 34 sentences for murder attempts or threats, 18 sentences for rape, 14 sentences for negligence, eight life sentences for murder — almost three times the rate for women — eight sentences for child pornography, six for dangerous driving causing death, and five manslaughter sentences. Women accounted for three life sentences handed down for murder during the period analysed.
Irish Examiner
24-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork crime: Northsiders get longer jail sentences than southsiders, 'Irish Examiner' study reveals
People with an address on the northside of Cork City receive longer prison sentences on average than those from the southside, research from the Irish Examiner suggests. The analysis of more than 1,400 court reports published by The Irish Examiner and The Echo highlights a striking disparity between the city's northside and southside. It raises fresh concerns about the ongoing inequality and the socioeconomic divide, despite decades of investment in disadvantaged areas. This is one of the articles published in the 'Irish Examiner' in print and online here on Day 2 of the three-day Cork Crime series. The breakdown of the 554 convictions between 2020-2024, shows: 360 had an address on the northside and 194 lived on the southside The average jail sentence was longer on the northside (22.1 months) compared to 18 months on the southside Some of the city's youngest offenders had an address on the northside; Gurranabraher had the youngest average age of those jailed during the study period The breakdown of the main crime categories shows an even greater disparity when it comes to sentencing. The data shows: Theft 127 jail terms in which theft was mentioned were imposed on people with an address on the northside. Average sentence – 11.8 months. 65 mentions of the same offence involving people with an address on the southside. Average sentence 8.7 months. Burglary 54 jail sentences mentioning burglary involving someone with a northside address. Average jail term of 32 months. 12 mentions of the same offence involving someone living on the southside. Average sentence of 25 months. Public order 53 jail sentences mentioning public order offences involving people with a northside address. Average sentence of 9.5 months. 31 sentences for the same offence involving someone living on the southside. Average sentence of 5.5 months. Weapons and explosives offences 48 jail terms in which weapons and explosives offences were mentioned, involving someone with a northside address. Average sentence of 29.3 months. 23 involving someone living on the southside. Average sentence of 27 months. Drugs for sale or supply 45 jail terms mentioning drugs for sale or supply involving some living on the northside, with an average sentence of 40.7 months. 23 mentions of the same offence involving someone with a southside address - average sentence of 29 months. Assault 63 jail terms involving a person with a northside address. Average jail term of 26.2 months. 42 mentions of the same offence involving a person living on the southside. Average jail term of 27.6 months. This was the only major crime category where sentences were harsher on the southside. Of the top 10 jail-time suburbs, seven are in parts of the city classed as 'disadvantaged' or 'very disadvantaged' in the 2022 Pobal Deprivation Index, with higher rates of unemployment and lone parenting, and lower rates of school completion and third-level participation. The average age of a person with a northside address at the time of sentencing was just under 33 years of age, with southsiders just over the age of 34. The average sentence for a person with a northside address in that time was just over 22 months, but it was 18 months on the southside. Previous convictions were mentioned almost equally across the city – in 65% of all the cases involving someone with a northside address and in 63% of cases involving someone with a southside address. Addiction However, the data shows that addiction does not respect any geographical boundaries and is a citywide problem. Addiction was mentioned in 54% of cases involving northsiders, and in 52% of cases involving southsiders, with alcohol mentioned in 37% of cases both northside and southside, and drugs mentioned in 45% of cases both northside and southside. Addiction, alcohol or drugs was mentioned in 72% of cases on the northside, and 74% of all cases in the southside. The analysis also identified the most mentioned crime categories and the areas in which those convicted of the crimes were living at the time. It shows that Gurranabraher accounted for the highest number of jail terms imposed over the five years, and it had the youngest average age in the city for someone jailed for an offence, at just under 29 years of age. It was followed by Mayfield, Knocknaheeny, and Blackpool, all on the northside, and by Mahon in the southeast.
