People in the North are less worried about crime than people in Britain, according to a report published yesterday. It also found that the number of Northern Irish people getting married in the past 30 years has dropped by 18 per cent and the divorce rate has risen.
Living together is not as widespread, however, with only 2 per cent cohabiting as opposed to 9 per cent in Britain. The survey, "Focus on Northern Ireland", was compiled and produced by the NI Statistics and Research Agency. Burglary and theft accounted for nearly three-quarters of all recorded crime in the North, which has the second lowest crime rate relative to the 42 police areas in England and Wales. There is less concern about crime than in Britain.
During 1990-95, the number of arrests for drug-related offences more than tripled. Males make up about 90 per cent of defendants in the criminal courts and offending is greatest among men aged 20-24. The average family in the North has a gross weekly income of £323 and drives a Ford Fiesta, according to the report. There is a higher birth rate than Britain - nearly a quarter of children are born outside marriage. Northern Ireland has one of the fastest growing regional populations, with proportionately more children and fewer old people than in Britain.
A third of people in work are employed in the public sector, compared to a fifth in Britain. Despite economic growth, the North's economic performance is the lowest on a per capita basis among the UK regions. Average gross weekly earnings are about 90 per cent of those in Britain. Social security benefits are the second most important source of income. Last year, a quarter of people had no formal qualifications compared with 18 per cent in Britain.