Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour Lord Mayor’s Introduction Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour Lord Mayor’s Introduction What is antisocial behaviour? city and is an issue I wanted to look at and highlight The Oxford English dictionary during my term as Lord Mayor. I focused on the types describes it as behaviour that of low-level antisocial behaviour which can make the is “destructive of or hostile to lives of many in a community a misery. I formed a Lord other members of society”. Mayor’s Commission and invited experts from various Section 113 of The Criminal organisations and Government Departments to sit on Justice Act 2006 is more the Commission to discuss the nature and causes of specific in providing a legal antisocial behaviour, share experiences of evidence- definition for this jurisdiction: based initiatives which are working and find possible solutions. “A person behaves in an antisocial manner if the person causes or, in the circumstances, is likely The Commission met nine times between October to cause, to one or more persons who are not of 2011 and May 2012. the same household as the person – I also hosted a conference on 29th February 2012, Harassment, at which Minister Roisín Shortall, Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Significant or persistent alarm, distress, fear or Primary Care and for the National Drugs and Alcohol intimidation, or Strategy, delivered the keynote address. The theme of the conference was preventing and responding to Significant or persistent impairment of their use antisocial behaviour. Over 300 people attended the or enjoyment of their property”. conference and participated in the workshops and Question & Answer sessions. What these definitions share, and what I believe is the key characteristic of antisocial behaviour, is the This report presents my findings and conclusions concept that certain behaviours negatively impact on following the nine meetings with the Commission, broader society. In the context of Dublin, this is clearly feedback from the conference, and one to one a broad scope – antisocial behaviour is that which meetings with a variety of experts and people working negatively affects the experience of the city for its on the issue of antisocial behaviour from around the visitors and residents. Examples of antisocial behaviour city. In drafting this report, I have sought to put the include divergent issues such as graffiti, vandalism, emphasis on solutions that are supported by strong noise, name calling, public drinking and small scale drug dealing, aggressive begging and harassment. Antisocial behaviour is a problem in all areas of the 3 Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour Lord Mayor’s Introduction evidence; where necessary, I recommend carrying requires new ways of collaborating. However, there are out more research to gain evidence on how we should examples from around the city show that it can work. most effectively tackle this difficult problem. For example, the Ballymun Interagency Group involves 16 agencies who have signed up to a protocol to share A brief note on structure is useful at this point. During information and work together on case management. my consultation with the Commission, and with Children Service Committees operating under the interested groups and individuals throughout the year, Department of Children and Youth Affairs and chaired I became aware of a number of themes emerging. by the Health Service Executive provide a framework The structure of this report attempts to capture these for comprehensive inter-agency working and are a new themes. Each chapter is thus dedicated to a theme, and positive initiative. but the reader should be aware that, in places, there is significant overlap in the types of intervention I It is essential for Dublin that people feel safe in their see as necessary in each area. In terms of internal homes and confident as they travel through their chapter structure, an introductory piece sets out a brief communities. Unfortunately this is not always the case, overview of the topic of the chapter, including what so we must change how we tackle these complex broad areas are covered. Each chapter also makes problems in order to improve the lives of all of us who recommendations in each area covered. live in, work in and visit Dublin. I believe that only by working together can we achieve this. The most promising finding from this commission is the importance of parenting in reducing antisocial I would like to thank all those who sat on the behaviour in the long-term. If we can help parents to Commission and gave of their time and expertise to improve the emotional well-being of their children, we assist me in this work. Special thanks are also due to can greatly improve quality of life for their children and the sub-group and authors of the chapters for their at the same time reduce the likelihood of antisocial extensive work in drafting and editing this report. behaviour occurring in our communities. Ultimately, I recommend an inter-agency response, drawing on the energies and ideas of community and Andrew Montague statutory bodies. Inter-agency work is difficult and Lord Mayor of Dublin 4 Lord Mayor’s Introduction Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour Lord Mayor’s Commission on Antisocial Behaviour – Members Lord Mayor Andrew Montague Hugh Greaves, Ballymun Drugs Task Force Councillor Gerry Ashe Kieran O’Dwyer, Irish Prison Service Councillor Tom Brabazon Vivian Geiran, Director of Operations, Probation Service Councillor Christy Burke Gordon Jeyes, National Director for Children and Councillor Anthony Connaghan Family Services, Health Service Executive Councillor Pat Crimmins Siobhan Mugan, Health Service Executive Councillor Mannix Flynn Aidan Waterstone, Health Service Executive Councillor Ray McAdam Inspector Gerry Murphy, An Garda Síochána Councillor Criona Ní Dhalaigh Inspector Barry Moore, An Garda Síochána Councillor Cieran Perry Inspector Finbarr Murphy, An Garda Síochána Councillor John Redmond Inspector Patrick McMenamin, An Garda Síochána Councillor Steve Wrenn Inspector Jo O’Leary, An Garda Síochána Assistant Garda Commissioner Michael Feehan Charlie Lowe, Area Manager, Dublin City Council (to February 2012) Ray Yeates, Dublin City Arts Officer, Assistant Garda Commissioner Sean Twomey Dublin City Council (from February 2012) Sean Redmond, Irish Youth Justice System, Dick Brady, Assistant City Manager, Department of Justice and Equality Dublin City Council Ruairí Gogan, Irish Youth Justice System, Philip Maguire, Assistant City Manager, Department of Justice and Equality Dublin City Council Tony Duffin, Ana Liffey Drug Project Dr. Graham Connon, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Health Service Executive Ballymun Richard Guiney, CEO Dublin City Bids Limited Odran Reid, Northside Partnership Shane Butler, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin 5 Contents Lord Mayor’s Introduction 3 Lord Mayor’s Commission on Antisocial Behaviour – Members 5 Recommendations of the Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour 9 Chapter 1 – Early Intervention and Prevention 17 Chapter 2 – Education 23 Chapter 3 – Discrimination and Prejudice 31 Chapter 4 – Management of Offenders and Alternatives to Prison 35 Chapter 5 – Alcohol and Other Drugs 43 Chapter 6 – City Centre Issues 51 Chapter 7 – Design 55 Chapter 8 – Organisational and Governance Structures 61 References / Bibiolography 64 Recommendations of the Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour Recommendations of the Lord Mayor’s Commission on antisocial behaviour Early Intervention and Prevention ✔✔ Wilderness✔and✔adventure-based✔therapies,✔ ✔✔ Deliver✔a✔national✔awareness✔campaign✔on✔the✔ specifically✔to✔address✔antisocial✔behaviour,✔ dangers✔of✔using✔alcohol,✔cannabis✔and✔other✔ should✔be✔discontinued✔as✔they✔are✔at✔best✔ drugs✔during✔pregnancy✔(Chief✔Medical✔Officer✔ ineffective✔and✔at✔worst✔seen✔by✔the✔local✔ and✔Department✔of✔Education✔and✔Skills✔via✔ community✔as✔rewarding✔behaviour. SPHE). ✔✔ Examine✔existing✔service✔provision✔with✔a✔view✔ ✔✔ Establish✔evidence-based✔prevention✔ to✔commencing✔or✔continuing✔such✔work✔in✔a✔ programmes✔for✔all✔at✔risk✔children✔(To✔be✔ more✔integrated✔fashion✔with✔other✔services✔in✔ funded✔jointly✔by✔Department✔of✔Children✔ the✔area.✔This✔could✔include✔formal✔local✔case✔ and✔Youth✔Affairs,✔Department✔of✔Health✔and✔ management✔networks. Department✔of✔Justice✔and✔Equality). ✔✔ Develop✔a✔multi-agency✔strategic✔approach✔to✔ ✔✔ Provide✔access✔to✔evidence-based✔parenting✔ programme✔planning,✔targeting,✔and✔delivery✔ programmes✔for✔all✔parents✔and✔communities✔ between✔local✔stakeholders✔(Departments✔of✔ throughout✔the✔greater✔Dublin✔area✔(Department✔ Justice✔and✔Equality,✔Health,✔Education✔and✔ of✔Children✔and✔Youth✔Affairs,✔Department✔of✔ Skills,✔Social✔Protection,✔the✔Community).✔ Education✔and✔Skills,✔Department✔of✔Justice✔and✔ This✔should✔often✔include✔the✔joint✔funding/ Equality✔and✔Dublin✔City✔Council). resourcing✔of✔programmes. ✔✔ Establish✔specialist✔(regional)✔evidence- based✔family✔therapy✔programmes✔for✔high✔ Education risk✔adolescent✔offenders✔who✔impact✔ ✔✔ Examine✔how✔the✔education✔sector✔can✔ significantly✔on✔the✔life✔of✔their✔local✔community.✔ facilitate✔the✔needs✔of✔all✔our✔citizens✔to✔fulfil✔ (✔Department✔of✔Justice✔and✔Equality✔(lead),✔ their✔potential✔as✔humans.✔This✔can✔be✔done✔ Department✔of✔Children✔and✔Youth✔Affairs,✔ as✔part✔of✔the✔review✔that✔is✔currently✔being✔