Home > Courts Service annual report 2010.

Connolly, Johnny (2011) Courts Service annual report 2010. Drugnet Ireland, Issue 39, Autumn 2011, p. 23.


The Courts Service annual report for 2010 provides statistics on the outcomes of prosecutions for drug offences between January and December 2010.1 Table 1 shows the outcomes of trials in 16,939 drug offence cases prosecuted in the District Court, the lowest court in the criminal justice system where most drug offences are dealt with. The most common outcome for drug offences in the District Court in 2010 were cases being struck out, which made up 22.6% (3834) of case outcomes followed by fines, which accounted for 19.2% (3249) of outcomes. Almost 10% of cases (1,588) led to a sentence of imprisonment.

 

The Courts Service reports that 1,186 drug offences were tried in the Circuit Court, which has a higher jurisdiction than the District Court and can thus impose more severe sentences. Of those prosecutions, 767 led to guilty pleas. Of the 46 cases which went to trial, 14 were convicted, 14 acquitted and 18 led to a nolle prosequi, where the prosecution enters a stay on criminal proceedings. It is unclear from the data provided what sentence was imposed in relation to the 14 convictions.
 
1. Courts Service (2011) Courts Service annual report 2010. Dublin: Courts Service. http://www.courts.ie
Item Type
Article
Publication Type
Irish-related, Open Access, Article
Drug Type
All substances
Intervention Type
Crime prevention
Issue Title
Issue 39, Autumn 2011
Date
2011
Page Range
p. 23
Publisher
Health Research Board
Volume
Issue 39, Autumn 2011
EndNote
Accession Number
HRB (Electronic Only)

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