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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 2015 11 News Feast days registering spike in criminal offences, study finds Archbishop Joseph Spiteri's name 'most touted inside Vatican corridors' Hunters reconsidering boycott MATTHEW VELLA A two-year analysis of crimes record- ed on the days of religious feasts in Malta, has found a spike in prostitu- tion 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 af- ter, 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 opportuni- ties," Formosa said on Radju Malta's Ghandi Xi Nghid yesterday, com- menting on the crimes registered inside village cores, where feasts take place. "We found a spike in prostitu- tion 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 regis- tered 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 vil- lage areas during shoulder weeks and on the days of the feast. "Crime is closely related to offend- ers' activities as well as the activities of potential victims… the festa phe- nomenon may offer such an oppor- tunity… "Offenders may be active during the festa day due to the large congre- gations 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 crimi- nals explore the locality, observe rou- tine activity where bands and organis- ers 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 in- vestigated, 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 rela- tively 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 regis- tered twice the expected – or mean – crime rate, with five localities reg- istering 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 dur- ing this specific period both in terms of preparedness and on-the-ground security, something even more im- portant when the routine activity of those attending liturgical and profane activities leave their property un- guarded and at risk, whilst also risk- ing themselves in their aggregation in high-density areas are offered as an opportunity for offences such as bod- ily 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. Cou- pled 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 of- fences reported during the festa day depicts a situation where the com- monalities between the two years in- clude prostitution, bodily harm, theft, domestic violence, damage, drugs, threats and private violence. "It is interesting to note that pros- titution registered 7.6 times and 5.9 times [the expected crime rate] re- spectively for the two years under study… bodily harm, theft and do- mestic 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 respec- tively." 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 recom- mended for the analysis of the offend- er-offence dynamic in order to further investigate why, how and who is in- volved in the actuation of the offences and the social and operation reaction required to mitigate offences." MIRIAM DALLI THREE months down the line following the resignation of Paul Cremona as Archbishop of Malta, a new successor to lead the Mal- tese Church has not yet been named. But informed sources close to the Vatican told MaltaToday that Archbishop Joseph Spiteri's name has become the "most touted name inside Vatican corridors" since last month. Spiteri, appointed Titular Arch- bishop of Serta in 2009, is 55 – just five days younger than Apostolic Administrator Charles Scicluna, and is currently serving in a Holy See diplomatic mission in Ivory Coast. Apostolic Nuncio Aldo Cavalli, the Holy See's envoy in Malta, has finalised a three-month proc- ess during which he met Maltese bishops, diocesan priests, religious people and laymen to discuss the role of the archbishop. The Ap- ostolic Nuncio left Malta with the 'terna' of names who could be Malta's next archbishop. All those who were consulted by the Nuncio are bound by secrecy, which in Canon Law is known as 'Sub-Secreto Pontificio'. Another name which is often ru- moured in Malta is that of Charles Scicluna. Insiders however claim that it is highly unlikely that Sci- cluna will be the next Archbishop: not only was he recently appoint- ed by the Vatican as President of the Special College for the Review of Appeals, but, as the Vatican's former chief prosecutor on sex abuse by the clergy, he is consid- ered as one of the most formidable lawyers to ever serve the post. Two other names touted in Mal- ta are Gozo Bishop Mario Grech, President of the Maltese Episcopal Conference, and Salesian priest Fabio Attard, whose name was in the terna when Paul Cremona was chosen as Archbishop. The process in Malta is now be- ing scrutinised by the Congrega- tion of Bishops in Rome, led by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, that con- siders the documentation provid- ed by the Nuncio, taking his opin- ion into consideration without being bound by it. The congrega- tion prepares its nominations for the Pope's approval. Cardinal Ouellet has two choic- es: either approve the Nuncio's work or restart the whole process. "Cardinal Ouellet meets the Pope once a month during which the list of nominees is presented. Traditionally, the first name on the list is the one with the biggest probability of being chosen. How- ever, the Pope can also choose a completely different name," the sources said. Following the Pope's approval, the Congregation informs the Ap- ostolic Nuncio of the Pope's deci- sion, who in turn would immedi- ately call for the anointed one. Asked why the process was tak- ing so long, the sources explained that the process is what it is: "This is about choosing an Archbishop. A lot of research takes place, in- formation collected while every- thing has to remain under wraps. Sometimes this process took years, other times it was over in a few months. I personally think that the announcement is immi- nent… If it is so, then this process would have been short." With 10 February round the cor- ner, there are renewed rumours that the new Archbishop may soon be announced. 10 February, the Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck, is considered to be the birth of Christianity in Malta. However, the sources believe that the Ro- man Curia is not as "parochial" as to bind itself with particular feasts. "Thinking that the Holy See may be waiting for 10 February to announce the new Archbishop is like thinking we still live in Bres- cello during Don Camillo's era… The Maltese Archdiocese is wait- ing for its new Archbishop and we will only know this when the sec- ond phase of this laborious proc- ess is finalised. "The Archbishop will be an- nounced when Pope Francis gives his approval." CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Internally the FKNK has been debating at length whether to boycott the referendum. They know that a low turnout at the polls would nullify the referendum, since a voter turnout of over 50% is required for the referendum to be valid. Polls indicate that voter apathy may dent the efforts of the Spring Hunting Out (SHout) campaign, which is exhorting vot- ers to vote no. Hunters have been advised to avoid any form of confrontation in a bid not to fur- ther tarnish their image when in the past they have been found guilty of various ex- cesses. The SHout campaign has started off slow- ly but organisers promise a more intense campaign as the plebiscite draws nearer. Recent polls have been conflicting. A MaltaToday survey published a week ago showed the two opposing sides neck and neck, but a survey conducted by Xarabank has given the no to spring hunting campaign an eight-point advantage – 44.7% said they would vote against spring hunting, while only 35.7% will vote in favour of it. The SHout campaign continues today in Mizieb, a well known public woodland that is administered and taken over by hunters during the hunting season, and notorious for the illegal hunting that goes on there. Archbishop Joseph Spiteri