Criminal Justice Data in Ireland

Criminal justice statistics are a complex and knotty topic. In a recent Irish Times article, Reported crime statistics need forensic examination, Ian O’Donnell writes about some of the issues with the Garda figures, which are a main source of criminal justice data in Ireland, highlighting that the data itself may not reveal a ‘true’ level of crime, but can yield insight if placed in a broader context.

Criminal justice data does seem to be particularly opaque in the Republic of Ireland, however. Time and again Irish researchers have expressed their frustration about the paucity of facts and figures with regards to the justice system. Read Mary Rogan’s latest article, which examines this data deficit and suggests possible ways to build a more robust body of criminal justice data.