Government reveals crime data for last 5 years - 13,800 get bail for serious crimes

A total of 13,800 people were granted bail for serious crimes between 2018 and 2023.

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds revealed this in a written answer to a question asked in the Senate by Independent Senator Dr Paul Richards on Tuesday.

Richards had asked for the number of people on bail for each of those years.

In 2022, 2,488 got bail for serious crimes, while 2,996 did in 2021. In 2020, 2202 got bail and 2,098 in 2019, and in 2018, the total was 1,830. The group of offences with the highest number for 2023 was narcotics offences with 379 getting bail, while the lowest was serious indecency with 12.

When it came to violent crime last year, 24 were granted bail for murder, 143 for shooting and wounding, and 236 for rape, incest and other sexual offences.

In addition, in 2023, the number of people granted bail for kidnapping was 88, kidnapping with ransom was 17, burglaries and break-ins was 148 and 218 for robberies.

Last year, a total of 320 were granted on possession of firearms and ammunition charges and 229 got bail while facing charges for other serious offences.

Other 2023 totals included 83 for fraud offences, 163 for general larceny, 92 for larceny of motor vehicles, and 34 for larceny - dwelling house. There has been ongoing public discourse as to whether bail should be allowed for serious crimes, particularly murder and rape. In 2022, government failed to receive support in Parliament for the Bail (Amendment) (Extension of Duration) Bill 2022, which sought to extend the life of the 2019 bill for one year as the sunset clause expires on August 4.

The law allowed magistrates and judges to deny bail, for 120 days, to people charged with specific offences under the Firearms Act, the Anti-Gang Act, the Sexual Offences Act, the Dangerous Drugs Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Trafficking in Persons Act.

Richards also asked how many matters were awaiting filing of indictment by the Director of Public Prosecutions from 2018-2023.

The total for that period was revealed to be 1,332 by Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC.

Richards said given public discourse on the backlog in the criminal justice system, he wanted to know if there had been conversations about the delays in filing indictments.

Armour said he could confirm there were conversations and developments, but he was “not at liberty” to disclose details.

Richards asked Hinds how many people were currently on remand and how many new remandees were taken in each year from 2018-2023. Hinds said, at the time, 2,053 were on remand – 1,985 men and 68 women.

In 2018, a total of 2,790 new remandees were taken in, 2,200 for 2019, 1,633 for 2020, 1,768 in 2021, 1,627 in 2022 and 2,454 for 2023.

Richards asked if TT’s prison system could accommodate such high numbers or if there was overcrowding. Hinds said, “Since I was revealing facts, from a historic standpoint, we were able to accommodate every one of them.”

Richards asked if Hinds had data on how many of those people were repeat offenders, but Hinds said the answer could be provided.

He added that a “whole-of-government” approach was being taken to deal with the issue of young people being involved in crime.

“We are constantly aware of some of the issues around the revolving door...in terms of drug treatment and rehabilitation operations and improving their academic and technical skills while even in the prison, even on remand...”

Newsday asked Richards what was the context in which he asked those questions.

He said, “I wanted this data on the regular assertions related to the number of people accessing bail for various offences...

“In the context of the levels of crime in the country and the potential for repeat offenders being a significant issue that should be dealt with.”