Research shows spike in crimes on festa day

A two-year analysis of crimes recorded on the days of religious feasts in Malta, has found a spike in prostitution on the day of the feast.

Criminologist Saviour Formosa yesterday said that findings from his analysis of crime recorded in the days building up, during feast weeks, to the day of the feast and immediately after, merit more analysis to determine why this type of crime appeared to be prevalent.

“You get more people in one space and this presents more opportunities,” Formosa said on Radju Malta’s Ghandi Xi Nghid yesterday, commenting on the crimes registered inside village cores, where feasts take place. “We found a spike in prostitution offences on the day of the feast. At first we thought the data was skewed, but the analysis turned out to be correct.”

Prostitution offences were registered over seven times the expected rate on feast days in 2013, and almost seven times the normal rate in 2014, while other crimes spiking during the heady celebrations of patron saints were violence against public officers; bodily harm; and threats.

In the study ‘Saints, Revellers and Offenders’, Formosa mapped all the crimes occurring within the zones between the village core and outer village areas during shoulder weeks and on the days of the feast.

“Crime is closely related to offenders’ activities as well as the activities of potential victims… the festa phenomenon may offer such an opportunity… 

“Offenders may be active during the festa day due to the large congregations at the village centre and low dwelling occupancy rates during the festa activities, as well as during the festa week where various activities are held during that week,” Formosa writes in his research.

The offences spike in the week building up to the feast, when criminals explore the locality, observe routine activity where bands and organisers are putting up various festa street furniture, or after the feast is over and during the removal of certain street furniture.

A total of 35,198 offences were investigated, of which 20% - 5,859 – pertained to offences during the festa weeks, and another 1,231 pertaining to national feast days.

The analysis shows that Ghasri, Birgu and Pietà topped 2014 rates, whilst Munxar, Gharb and Mqabba topped the 2013 rates. “Whilst nearly all towns and villages experience relatively high rates of offending than the expected figures, the results show that Gozo suffers heavily from festa-related offences.”

The analysis showed that during the festa week, 72% of all localities registered twice the expected – or mean – crime rate, with five localities registering over five times the expected rates. Three of these, Fontana, San Lawrenz and Ghasri, are in Gozo.

“These very high rates posit the need to increase enforcement during this specific period both in terms of preparedness and on-the-ground security, something even more important when the routine activity of those attending liturgical and profane activities leave their property unguarded and at risk, whilst also risking themselves in their aggregation in high-density areas are offered as an opportunity for offences such as bodily harm, pick-pocketing and theft,” Formosa said.

Formosa says that certain property crimes are also related to a feeling of safety on Gozo. “The key-in-the-lock phenomenon is still very evident in some towns such as Xewkija and other villages and is in contrast to the realties experienced by facts as identified in the current study. Coupled with the fact that some towns also organize the xalata where some towns practically vacate for a day, the opportunities offered are exponential as few guardians are left to safeguard the properties.”

The analysis of 2013 and 2014 offences reported during the festa day depicts a situation where the commonalities between the two years include prostitution, bodily harm, theft, domestic violence, damage, drugs, threats and private violence.

“It is interesting to note that prostitution registered 7.6 times and 5.9 times [the expected crime rate] respectively for the two years under study… bodily harm, theft and domestic violence rate at 2.9x to 5.3x, whilst threats and private violence rate up to 8.3x in 2014. Drugs is also nearly higher at 1.8x and 3.8x respectively.”

Formosa says Maltese feasts must be studied further, because while the main activity pivots around the sacred aspect, the profane activities of the feast outside the church walls are directly related to an increase in offending and reduction of safety and security.

“A micro-study approach is recommended for the analysis of the offender-offence dynamic in order to further investigate why, how and who is involved in the actuation of the offences and the social and operation reaction required to mitigate offences.”