Anti Social behaviour, how can we prevent it?

[Roy Walsh]

I have worked in locking up youth offenders for 15 yrs now, I also read sentencing law when studying.
The benefit of this experience is I have the opportunity of seeing the cause and effect of offending on victim and offender.
The key means to reduce offending is through sentencing, to be overhauled to an extent in the north soon, but ought to go further.
Lock up more criminals for longer does not reduce offending it moves it into prison where inmates continue to offend in a variety of fashions, this needs to be addressed by better detection and internal sentencing.
However, locking up criminals for longer does isolate their offending from society so society will feel safer, it also acts as a deterrent which, per: offenders, probation does not.
We need to radically, throughout the country, overhaul our approach to sentencing, for 'minor' crimes we ought to give greater use to community service sentences, properly supervised (ie not by the liberals who make up the probation service but ex. military/gardaí)
For more serious crimes provide Judges with power to lock offenders up for at least double the present tarriff, and ensure they are implementing this.
Crimes of violence, robbery, rape, GBH, manslaughter, death by dangerous driving, murder etc. can be dealt with by way of excessive sentences, in prison, of 15 + years (I would include in this padeophilia) this acts as deterrent and where not keeps us feeling safer.
Other points we need to lookm at may be,
reducing the evidential requirements required to convict, as na gardaí had against the provo's of ability to convict on the word of a senior garda. (rem. human rights are, per the ECHR, for victims, not perpatrators otherwise Hess/Speer could have relied on them to make their lives/sentences much better.)
Make greater use of indeterminate sentences, put the onus on the imprisioned/supervised offender to learn from their sentence, if they fail to behave/work, keep them inside for longer.
Look at the US model of three strikes and you're out, regardless of the seriousness of an offence, if someone is convicted three times, throw them into prison for 10/15 years, on top of any existing sentence.
This may provoke some but, having been on the recieving end of offences, and working with them daily I have learned what works and what does not.

[Garda]

To suggest that crime is caused by a lack of amenities is insulting. Many areas classified as 'poor' or 'crime ridden' have ample facilities often better that supposed upper class areas. these areas also have many many people that grow up and become functioning and law abiding people.

Look at the Dublin riot, that same old arguement was thrown out but then we heard how many people actually travelled to get involved in the riot, even non Irish did so.

Stronger laws, stronger allowances for the Gardai to deal with these things and above all, stronger sentencing. Whens the last time someone got a bad probation report? If they are on their tenth probation report maybe its not working.

Im all for working with prisoners to help them and also giving people a chance, but only 1 chance and then they are in trouble. People make mistakes and a lot do take the chance they are given but what about the majority that simple abuse societies help and support? Im sorry but a rapist or paedophile should never be free again and god can judge me on that.

Perhaps we should use and stick to the 3 strike policy for other crimes?

[stewiegriffin]

To suggest that crime is caused by a lack of amenities is insulting. Many areas classified as 'poor' or 'crime ridden' have ample facilities often better that supposed upper class areas. these areas also have many many people that grow up and become functioning and law abiding people.

Look at the Dublin riot, that same old arguement was thrown out but then we heard how many people actually travelled to get involved in the riot, even non Irish did so.

Stronger laws, stronger allowances for the Gardai to deal with these things and above all, stronger sentencing. Whens the last time someone got a bad probation report? If they are on their tenth probation report maybe its not working.

Im all for working with prisoners to help them and also giving people a chance, but only 1 chance and then they are in trouble. People make mistakes and a lot do take the chance they are given but what about the majority that simple abuse societies help and support? Im sorry but a rapist or paedophile should never be free again and god can judge me on that.

Perhaps we should use and stick to the 3 strike policy for other crimes?

Lack of amenities doesnt cause crime but contributes to it . I dont need to get into a long winded debate about it but the evidence is there for all to see . Whether you end up in jail or university depends very much on where you live (fact not opinion) same goes for your life expectancy ,healthcare ,chances of a good job etc . of course there are exceptions but as a rule their is an underclass who from an early age recognize that society is somewhat biased against them if not downright hostile and act accordingly .This is not excusing criminal behaviour just a giving a view of the things that may contribute to it . Stern policing should be accompanied by real social reform.

[Sligoboy]

Lack of amenities doesnt cause crime but contributes to it . I dont need to get into a long winded debate about it but the evidence is there for all to see . Whether you end up in jail or university depends very much on where you live (fact not opinion) same goes for your life expectancy ,healthcare ,chances of a good job etc . of course there are exceptions but as a rule their is an underclass who from an early age recognize that society is somewhat biased against them if not downright hostile and act accordingly .This is not excusing criminal behaviour just a giving a view of the things that may contribute to it . Stern policing should be accompanied by real social reform.

Spot on, agree 100%, particularly your closing comment.

[Dillinger]

"One viable prevention method cited by the left regularly is the development of community services and facilities for young people. On the right others feel that society and family breakdown is at the route of the growth in anti social behaviour."


I say both. Hows that? Too radical for you? We also need more batons.

We have a rugby club, two GAA clubs, a soccer club, rowing club, canoe club, scouts and cubs, a youth club, youth discos... the list is endless. But their favorite past-time is still drinking, not all of them course, but large enough groups to cause plenty of trouble. the fact that they have now discoverd cocaine doesnt help matters either, but I find people don't want to hear that part, they switch off.

[Sligoboy]

"One viable prevention method cited by the left regularly is the development of community services and facilities for young people. On the right others feel that society and family breakdown is at the route of the growth in anti social behaviour."


I say both. Hows that? Too radical for you? We also need more batons.

We have a rugby club, two GAA clubs, a soccer club, rowing club, canoe club, scouts and cubs, a youth club, youth discos... the list is endless. But their favorite past-time is still drinking, not all of them course, but large enough groups to cause plenty of trouble. the fact that they have now discoverd cocaine doesnt help matters either, but I find people don't want to hear that part, they switch off.

I remember the theory being put forwrad that since drinking has moved away from an inter-generational environmant such thuggery has rocketed.

Its making more and more sense. Larges groups of teenage blokes consuming cider is a recipe for an altercation of soem sort.

[odie1kanobe]

Parental responsibility and use of parenting camps where parents and kid gets sent to for a week to learn how to behave.

If nothing else its a cost efefctive way of giving the neighbours a break.