Antisocial behaviour needs a full multi-agency response

Garda Crime Watch with Sergeant Michael Walsh

ANTISOCIAL behaviour is a broad term that is often used to describe disruptive conduct that violates the basic rights of another person or the public at large. Typically, it’s characterised as unacceptable conduct that causes harassment, alarm or distress to an individual or their community.

Such behaviour can disrupt and even destroy the quality of life of individuals and can damage communities as a whole. Victims of antisocial behaviour can become too frightened to leave their homes and even feel unsafe within their homes.

Very often we find ourselves fighting symptoms, while addressing the root causes would bring better and longer-term results. As well as looking at ‘what’ an offender did, we need to analyse and understand ‘why’ they did it, and then address that ‘why’.

An Garda Síochána cannot do that on its own, that’s why a multi-agency approach is needed. By using the ‘problem-orientated policing’ approach for crime and disorder, we can identify the specific problem, carefully analysis it to understand the problem, and then develop a tailored response.

Problem-orientated policing can be described in the context of the SARA (Scan, Analyse, Respond and Assess) model of problem solving, a strategy that has proven itself around the world. The model assumes that by identifying and understanding the root causes of a problem the solution developed to tackle it will be more effective.

The first step of the model is Scanning – this is where we identify and prioritise the potential crime and disorder problems. Next, we Analyse for potential problems, by gathering information and intelligence to identify the underlying causes of the problem.

Here we take a triangular look by examining all aspects of the victims, the offenders, and the location. Based on this problem analysis a plan of attack is drafted which leads to a Response, the third SARA step.                                                                              

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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