A Government Minister has voiced concern at the number of accused drug dealers cleared by juries -- despite strong prosecution evidence.

And Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness reminded jurors of their duties to the community.

"We will go nowhere if people who are involved in importing drugs are continuously let off,'' he said at the weekend.

Mr. Edness also urged employers to make more effort in finding work for people released from prison.

He said one of the most important weapons in curbing the problem of re-offending -- recidivism -- was employment.

"I will say publicly one of the things that affects rehabilitation is the problem of getting a job.

"Many people wish to reform themselves and be rehabilitated when they come out of prison but they cannot get a job, and this forces them back into their old neighbourhoods and a life of crime.'' He added: "I'm grateful to those who give them the chance of a job. We need employers and need the community to be more helpful in assisting men when they are back from prison.'' Mr. Edness spoke after first quarter statistics for 1997 showed a 16 percent increase in crime over the same period in 1996.

Assaults on Police doubled, burglaries shot up, and the problem of sex exploitation of young people grew.

Mr. Edness blamed part of the increase on professional criminals re-offending after being freed from prison or let out on bail.

"We have now caught several in the last month or so and figures on burglary have gone down since that time. This will be reflected in the next statistics.'' The rise in sexual exploitation of young people could be largely linked to improved methods of reporting the crime, he added.

In the first three months of this year there were 756 offences -- 15.6 percent more than the 654 reported in 1996.

The good news included a drop in the number of removed motorcycles and auxiliary bikes.

Mr. Edness said the community -- including jurors and witnesses to crimes -- had to help Police.

Juries urged to convict From Page 1 "I don't know what the problem is, but people are being let off in the courts when there is good evidence -- such as stashes of drugs and weapons -- and the presentation is good. It doesn't help as long as that continues to happen.'' He urged the public to provide as much useful information to the Police as possible. And he appealed to employers to play their part.

"I believe that the single most important factor in reducing the recidivism rate is a job.

"The community and employers have to have more of a helpful attitude to people who have made a mistake, come out and want to become rehabilitated by getting themselves a job.'' Mr. Edness said he was happy to say the Parks Department had a good record in helping those who had made poor choices in life.

"Government is doing its part,'' he added.

CRIME CRM DRUGS DGS COURTS CTS