If the Government parties found some cause to raise a rejoicing glass in the Irish Times/MRBI poll published on Saturday, the second part of that poll, exploring attitudes to crime and published yesterday, will certainly have turned their wine to vinegar. The voters are not assured by the Government's response to crime. A substantial proportion believes the gardai are functioning less effectively than in the past. Crime is viewed in importance second only to unemployment as an issue to be addressed in the coming election. And there is a strong preference for a Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrats government as more likely to offer effective palliatives. Yet there is a paradox in the results. For all of the growing concern and the conviction that the Government has failed to address the problem, the numbers of persons who have had experience of crime either personally or through the victimisation of a relative or close friend is relatively small.
There may be as much failure by the Government to inspire confidence as there has been de facto failure to deal with such crime as there is. The existence of a wide gap between the perceptions of crime and the realities is not unique to Ireland. Where we are unique is in our failure to approach crime and the criminal justice system with any overall coherence or set of long term policies. The State does not approach education, health, social welfare or environmental issues on an ad hoc basis. It publishes green papers, white papers and action plans, usually after a process of consultation and with a degree of social consensus. Criminal justice alone is expected to roll along, aimless and largely directionless.
Criminal justice has been the greatest blind spot in two administrations whose agendas have been substantially shaped by the Labour Party and, in the case of Mr Bruton's government, by both Labour and Democratic Left. Labour and DL heavyweights have put their talents and influence to work in shaping effective policies in many areas. But they have simply not wanted to know about criminal justice.
The only meagre evidence of serious reflection on the criminal justice issue is coming from the Progressive Democrats; at least if one is to judge by the level of debate and the motions put up for consideration at conference. There is at least a glimmer of understanding that effective policies depend on research, on a clearer definition of issues, on the defining of clear objectives and on the integrated efforts of a range of social services. What is there, one wonders, in the socialist mind set which makes it acceptable to engage in the formulation of policies for schools or hospitals but which shies away from any notion that society should plan how to respond to crime?
This newspaper has repeatedly urged two things as prerequisites to reforming our criminal justice system and dealing with crime. It has urged the establishment of a commission to consider the functioning of the criminal justice system as well as the causes, effects, scale and realities of crime. And it has urged the launch of a programme of ongoing research into these areas.
It is now reported that civil servants within the Department of Justice are preparing a strategy paper on crime and that the Minister, Mrs Owen, plans to embark on a process of consultation throughout the community. Anything at all is better than the traditional ad hoc approach. But it is difficult to see that the departmental exercise will be broad enough. And Mrs Owen's process of consultation, if it happens, may be seen as pre election posturing. Even in that, it will probably be too late. The public is - rightly - unimpressed. It will be a surprise if the voters do not choose to register their dismay come election day.