THE Government should fund Community Alert Schemes to reverse the level of crime which is "spiralling out of control", the Irish Countrywomen's Association said yesterday.
The president of the association, Ms Bridin Twist, said people's fear of crime had severely reduced quality of life, particularly among the old and the young.
She said the justice system was not protecting society or providing sufficient deterrents to criminals.
"We urgently need a policy to include gardai and local community groups," Ms Twist said. "Lack of deterrents to criminals due to overcrowding in prisons is sending out wrong signals to the perpetrators of violent crimes."