Published date:
Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime Geraldine Hanna said
“Our crime statistics provide an invaluable tool in understanding the prevalence and nature of different types of crime.
“We must consistently grasp what is being gathered and ensure that we’re comparing data that is alike when using this data to inform decision making.
“Whilst these figures show that the number of stalking and harassment crimes fell by 25.5% between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024 we must bear in mind the changes that came into effect in May 2023 which govern how police count different crimes.
“The PSNI have recognised that this change has had the greatest impact on malicious communications offences, with fewer of these offences recorded.
“These figures need to be examined in this context and we must be careful not to draw false impressions as to any significant changes in how pervasive the issue of stalking and harassment is in our society.”