THE COLD-BLOODED murder of two brothers on the streets of Dublin by armed gunmen, inevitably, will bring demands for tougher laws, longer jail sentences and larger prisons. Such a reaction is understandable because of the careless brutality of the killings, along with the wounding of a teenager, in a closely-knit urban community. Cool heads and a more thoughtful response, however, may prove more effective.
The murders do represent a direct challenge to the forces of law and order. Such actions cannot be tolerated and those responsible should be identified by the specialist units within the Garda Síochána and brought to justice. Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy provided such an undertaking yesterday and promised the challenge would be met “head on”. The murders, he said, involved a small core of people settling scores over the control and profits of the drugs trade.
Considerable financial resources have been devoted to the creation of a larger police force; the establishment of specialist units and the purchase of modern technology. The Organised Crime Unit and the Garda National Drugs Unit have scored significant successes in recent years against criminal gangs and the importation of drugs. Cocaine with a street value of €9.5 million was seized in Dublin earlier this week. New surveillance powers have been of considerable benefit also. And recently enacted gangland crime legislation will be employed in the near future to target specific criminals.
There is no easy answer to gun crime. Well-planned gangland killings are extremely difficult to solve because the evidence is either hidden or destroyed. The vicious nature of gangland struggles, as various bosses attempt to dominate a hugely profitable drugs trade, means that witnesses are afraid to give evidence in court. The conviction success rate stands at about 14 per cent. However, there has been a gradual reduction in the number of gangland murders since 2007. Homicide rates are in line with international norms.
Gangland murders are often dismissed as being of little consequence when the targets are criminals themselves. That is a truly dangerous proposition because such violence cannot be contained easily. Just because individuals are known to gardaí or have prison records does not diminish their right to life. All of society is threatened when the law is broken. Toleration of such killings has been shown to lead to escalation because what happens in one area can spread quickly if a firm response is not forthcoming from the authorities.
The Garda Síochána should not be expected to single-handedly solve the State’s crime problems. A handful of disadvantaged communities provides the bulk of prison inmates. On release, a lack of skills and employment encourage recidivism. For the past quarter of a century official reports have called for a rebalancing of the penal system away from prison and towards community sanctions. Investment in social services, education and community development is urgently required to counter the emergence of gangs. In the absence of hope and opportunity, a drift to crime will continue.