WHEN the Garda Report for 1996 is published sometime next year it is likely to show that the number of murders in the State continues to grow.
Although unofficial figures for the early months of 1996 show reductions in some types of crime, murders remain on the increase, more than 30 killings so far this year, compared to 41 for 1995 and 24 in 1994.
The Garda's report for 1995, published yesterday, shows that 30 of last year's 41 murders were "detected" by the force. Most were of men (only eight were of women) and about half of them took place in Dublin, reflecting the increase in so called "contract killings" in the criminal underworld.
The report notes that for ally crime, there has been "a steady increase in detection rates since the beginning of the decade". However, the latest increase was small from 38.7 per cent in 1994 to 38.8 per cent in 1995.
It also shows the detection rate for murders is falling. In 1995, the murder detection rate was 73 per cent, compared with 80 per cent in 1994 and 87 per cent the previous year.
Dublin remained the most active criminal area in 1995, with 57 per cent of the State's crime taking place in the city, compared with 14 per cent in other cities and 29 per cent in rural areas.
There was a significant increase in the level of serious crime (such as burglary and robbery) against tourists. There were 3,120 such cases in 1994, but this increased to 3,629 last year. The "detection rate" for these crimes was down from 20 to 19 per cent.
The level of vehicle theft remained at about the same as the previous year, as did the proportion of stolen vehicles recovered.
There were 11,754 vehicles - taken without "authorisation" - these were usually cars, vans and motorcycles taken for use in robberies or other crime and later found dumped. But 2,129 vehicles were classed as stolen and of these only 44, or about 2 per cent, were recovered.
About 14,000 breath tests were carried out on suspected drunk drivers during 1995, and some 4,000 were positive.