FEWER THAN one in five gun crimes results in a conviction, new figures released by the Department of Justice have revealed.
The conviction rates are low because the identities of many of those suspected to be involved in particular gun crimes are never established. In other cases, where the suspects' identities are known, witnesses are often too frightened to give evidence against those responsible.
The new Department of Justice data covers gun crime and conviction rates for the six-year period since the beginning of 2003.
Most of the gun crimes committed in 2006, 2007 and this year to date have not been concluded before the courts. This means the conviction rates for those years cannot be properly assessed yet.
However, the majority of the gun crimes committed in 2003, 2004 and 2005 have been dealt with by the courts, meaning the conviction rate for those years is unlikely to change significantly.
In 2003, there were 1,126 recorded gun crimes. Convictions were secured in 187 cases - a 17 per cent conviction rate.
In 2004, some 1,224 gun crimes were recorded with 219 convictions secured - an 18 per cent conviction rate.
The following year, 2005, some 1,259 gun crimes were recorded with 191 convictions secured - a 15 per cent conviction rate.
The gun crime figures relate to all gun crimes including, among others, gangland murders, drive-by shootings and armed robberies.
Since 2005, the number of gun crimes recorded has fallen.
There were 1,250 in 2006, 1,188 in 2007 and 467 to May 31st this year. The conviction rates for the three years are 11 per cent, 5 per cent and less than 1 per cent respectively.
However, these figures will rise in the months and years ahead as more gun crimes committed in the period are disposed of by the courts.
The figures reveal that, in recent years, gardaí have proven more successful than ever in identifying suspects for gun crime and initiating criminal proceedings against them.
For example, in 2003 - when 1,126 gun crimes were committed - some 366 proceedings were commenced.
In 2006, some 501 proceedings were started in respect of the 1,250 gun crimes committed in that period. And in 2007 some 450 proceedings were begun in respect of the 1,188 gun crimes committed that year.
The vast majority of gun crime committed in the Republic is drug-related.
Last week, The Irish Timesrevealed that the number of heroin addicts in treatment in the Republic has almost doubled in the past 10 years and will pass the 10,000 mark in the next few months.
