Much of the media’s focus of late has been on the Eames – Bradley proposals, the non-national stadium and the Education Ministers unseen, unclear, confusing proposals/nonproposals/guidelines. And rightly so. These are all important issues in their own right and need proper scrutiny.
An issue I want to touch on is however Anti-Social Behaviour, an issue never far from the headlines and something at the top of everyone’s agenda in West Belfast, and across many parts of the north.
As mentioned below, one of the themes of the SDLP Conference was ‘miscarriages of justice.’ Looking back (and in some cases, not so far back – as the case of the Quinn’s demonstrates) to terrible inflictions of injustice, hearing personal testimonies and reflecting on the common humanity of all those affected. But what the SDLP conference also did - something that didn’t pick up as much media attention as it deserved – was adopt a new Youth Justice Policy.
The document outlines proposals to radically reform our failing youth justice system, a system in much need of reform. The document seeks to actively address the issue of anti-social behaviour.
It is not good enough to pretend to really address this issue, or as one senior member of CRJI once said to me, it’s not good enough for ‘ Gerry Adams to swoon into Ballymurphy with Hugh Orde and then f**k off, [solving nothing]‘.
The SDLP proposals are based on best practice, extensive research and have been widely consulted on.
I make no secret of the fact that I have no love for the so called ’safer neighbourhood projects’ who achieve nothing, contribute nothing and only move groups of young people from one place to another, in a not too friendly manner shall we say. (ohh…and I hear they’re keen on the old spray painting of walls). Some youth providers have said to me privately that in many instances they make the situation worse.
We are good at having fences built, walls erected, paths extinguished but not solving problems. While this is ok in itself, anti social behaviour is an issue that requires a long-term strategy and not a short term headline. It requires a strategy and not a soundbite.
Attached below is the document – described as ‘miles ahead of any political party in the north on this issue’ by a leading childrens charity working in the field of youth justice and of which comments are welcome.