HARSHER PENALTIES HAVE LITTLE EFFECT IN CURBING INCREASE IN CRIME RATE

Stiffer penalties have failed to curb crime as more offences involving
assault, theft, drugs and alcohol were committed last year.

Police statistics showed more than 63,000 crimes were perpetrated in the
seven emirates in 2003 and nearly a quarter of them were committed by
nationals.

These offences involved assaults against people and property, drug
smuggling, abuse of alcohol, anti-security and immigration activities,
arson, insult of religions, theft, embezzlement and bad cheques.

The Ministry of Interior statistics show more than half of last year's
crimes occurred in Abu Dhabi and Dubai while Sharjah was third on the list.

The report on crime and traffic offences, obtained by Gulf News, showed a
total 60,379 known crimes were perpetrated by nearly 65,000 people last year
while about 57,913 crimes were committed by 62,000 people in 2002.

A breakdown showed an increase in crimes mainly those against property,
which stood at 41,573 in 2003 compared with 38,094 in 2002.

Offences involving drug trafficking rose to 1,146 from 835 while those
involving assaults against people increased to 6,974 from 6,238 and offences
involving abuse and illegal trade in liquor grew to 3,930 from 3,779.

Indians and Pakistanis emerged as the main expatriate perpetrators of crime
while Americans and Europeans were least involved in criminal activity,
mainly because of their relatively low number in the UAE.

The report showed an increase in the number of Filipinos and other Asians
who were involved in crimes last year.

As in previous years, UAE citizens remained on top of the list of offenders,
with their number standing at about 15,384, nearly a quarter of the total
offenders last year.

Indian culprits stood at 10,758, Pakistanis at 6,577 and Bangladeshis at
3,111. About 1,162 Filipinos were arrested last year for illegal activity
while the number of lawbreakers from other Arab countries also increased.

Nearly 788 offences were committed against the state security, 231 against
the administration, 390 against organisations, 62 for possessing firearms,
107 against hunting and 55 against the municipality. Immigration offences
actually declined to 4,396 in 2003 from 5,714 in 2002.

Experts maintain the surge in crime, which is mainly economic, over the past
decade is caused by rising unemployment among expatriates and the violation
of visa and labour laws.

Many expatriates, mostly Asians, were staying in the UAE although their
services in the public or the private sector had been terminated. "This is
creating a gap in security and tempting them to resort to crime to make
money," a UAE social expert said.

Emirate-wise, Dubai was the main scene of crime in the UAE last year, with
20,860 reported offences, 18,459 in Abu Dhabi, 10,644 in Sharjah, 4,265 in
Ajman, 3,400 in Ras Al Khaimah, 1,717 in Fujairah and 1,034 in Umm Al
Quwain.