New crime figures for the Republic show an alarming rise in number of sexual offences, kidnappings and drug-related crimes between 2006 and 2010.
Conversely, the figures show a decline in the murder rate as well as a fall-off in the number of offences linked to property damage.
The Central Statistics Office figures, published today, outline trends in recorded and detected offences across 16 different crime categories.
The volume of recorded sexual offences jumped by 66 per cent during the four-year period.
However, gardaí warned that part of the rise in sexual offences reflected a decision to review of all outstanding allegations, including historic child sex abuse cases.
The figures indicated sharp rises in kidnappings and related offences (up 59 per cent), in controlled drug offences (up 40 per cent), in the rate of gun and explosives-related crime (up 30 per cent) as well as robbery, extortion and hijacking offences (up 28 per cent).
On the other hand, the number of recorded homicide offences fell by 35 per cent and damage to property and to the environment offences fell by 10 per cent.
The figures, which also analysed detection rates, showed that three out of every four burglaries across the State were going undetected.
Barely a quarter of the 25,377 burglaries carried out in 2010 were detected, with only 38 per cent of 76,492 thefts solved.
However the detection rate for the 55 murders, five manslaughters and 30 deaths by dangerous driving was 83 per cent. Criminal charges were brought in 64 cases, while 15 remain undetected.
The highest number of killings were recorded in Dublin's north inner city, with 4.7 deaths per 100,000 people.
The detection rate for drugs offences was also high, with more than 98 per cent of the 19,943 cases closed.
There were also 4,092 recorded incidents of weapons and explosives offences, with more than 90 per cent solved.
