Crimes reduced by 35% during last three years: Law and Order Minister

Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka said that during the last three years the crime rate in the country had declined by 35% and the crime clearance rate has increased by 20%.

According to the Minister the crime rate in 2017 has shown a decline by 35% in comparison to 2014. The crime clearance rate which stood at 58% in 2014 has increased to 78% in 2017.

Addressing a public meeting in Kirulapone recently, the Minister disclosed that the in 2014, there were reports of 50,962 crimes and only 29,396 were resolved. It means that the amount solved is 58%. But in 2017 there were 35,971 reports of crime. Out of that, 28,002 were solved that as a percentage of 78%.

Reducing the percentage of crime and raising the percentage of number of solved crimes in 2017 compared to 2014 is a significant success for the police, the Minister noted.

“We are now preparing the environment for the people of this country to live without fear and uncertainty. We are making some progress now. But that’s not enough. This year, it is our responsibility to go forward,” the Law and Order minister said.