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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Oct 1998

Vol. 495 No. 4

Priority Questions. - Juvenile Crime.

Jim Higgins

Question:

11 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the increase in juvenile crime by 5.5 per cent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20360/98]

During 1997 some 15,075 referrals were made to the National Juvenile Office, which represents an increase of 5.5 per cent — 790 referrals — on the previous year. It would be unsafe to assume, however, that an increase in the number of referrals is matched by a corresponding increase in the number of crimes committed by juveniles.

It must be borne in mind that there was an increase in the overall detection rate for indictable crime in 1997 and it is not surprising, against that background, that there would be an increase in the number of referrals to the juvenile diversion scheme. This is not to suggest that there are grounds for complacency in regard to the incidence of juvenile crime but simply that statistics for referrals need to be treated with caution as indicators of the changing level of juvenile crime.

The increase in detections may be attributed to the Government policy of greater enforcement of legislation such as that relating to public order offences and alcohol-related offences. If one examines the offence of intoxication in public, for example, the number of referrals in 1997 increased by 491 from the previous year. It must also be remembered that greater enforcement of this type of legislation will show a greater detection rate in relation to young people compared to adults as offences such as public order and drink-related offences are primarily committed by young people and, in some cases, can only be committed by young people — for example underage drinking.

I would like to take this opportunity to brief the House on other initiatives in the area of juvenile crime. The Minister of State, Deputy Frank Fahey, announced on 22 July this year that the Government had decided to establish an expert working group to inquire into the increasing number of children — approximately 100 per week — coming before the Children's Court.

The group is examining intervention and prevention strategies as a means of keeping children out of the courts; the reason there appears to be an increase in the numbers of children coming before the courts; the behavioural patterns of children coming before the courts in the lead-up to a court appearance; the present non-custodial options open to the courts when dealing with children; and best practice models in existence in this country and in a number of other countries where community sanctions are in place. The group is also in the process of commissioning research into the numbers and profile of juveniles appearing before the Children's Court.

A key priority in the Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium is the enactment of comprehensive juvenile justice legislation, and to that end the Government approved the restoration of the Children Bill, 1996, to the Dáil Order Paper on Committee Stage. The Bill is currently being examined with a view to bringing forward Committee Stage amendments. It would be wrong to view the Children Bill in isolation from crime preventative measures provided for in the Child Care Act, 1991, and in the Department of Education and Science's schemes and plans for legislation aimed at tackling the problem of truancy.

My Department is currently funding 14 community-based youth diversion projects. The projects are located in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Dundalk. They are targeted at specific large, high density urban areas where there is a combination of a large young population, high unemployment and a lack of basic amenities. The annual cost of funding these projects is in the region of £800,000 and proposals for a number of further projects are under consideration.

In addition, the Probation and Welfare Service of my Department is involved in and runs a number of community-based projects which cater for young offenders at risk of continuing in crime. These projects include workshops and day centres where offenders are provided with training in a number of skills. The purpose is to address offending behaviour, reduce recidivism and assist such persons in gaining employment.

There are other schemes on which I can provide details if the Deputies wish me to do so, but there is one which I would like to mention in particular because I consider it to be of importance in tackling the problem of underage drinking. I previously indicated to the House in response to parliamentary questions that I have arranged for the introduction of a voluntary age card scheme on the basis of provisions in the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1988. The necessary regulations are at an advanced stage of preparation and will be introduced as quickly as possible.

Deputies will appreciate that projects directed at young people at risk, which come under the aegis of agencies for which I have responsibility, are but a part of the Government's overall programme to tackle social exclusion and drugs. The Taoiseach announced in January that the Government has decided on a programme for young people at risk. The centrepiece of the programme is a young people's facilities and services fund of £30 million to be provided over the next three years to support a variety of capital and non-capital projects in disadvantaged areas. At least £20 million will be targeted at those areas particularly affected by the heroin problem. The new fund is in addition to the £10 million provided in the current year to implement the plans of the local drugs task forces and the £13 million provided for youth services. The allocations from the fund will be made by the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion, chaired by the Taoiseach.

I am pleased to note that the report of the National Crime Forum, to be published shortly, deals in depth with the issue of young people and crime. I welcome the Opposition's interest in this subject, as evidenced by yesterday's media coverage, but as far as I am aware it did not make any submission to the crime forum on the matter.

(Mayo): Does the Minister agree the situation is serious, given that Superintendent Joe Dowling is quoted in the Irish Independent as being extremely concerned at the increase in juvenile crime? A 5.5 per cent increase on last year has been shown in the Garda report. Some 15,000 youngsters were referred to the Garda National Juvenile Agency. The age threshold is decreasing. Ten per cent of juvenile offenders are 17 years old, 44 per cent are 15 years old and 25 per cent, one in every four, is between ten and 13 years. Before they have entered their teens, they are on their way to a life of criminality. These people feel society has abandoned them, or they have abandoned society or education has abandoned them. Is the Minister working with the

Ministers for Education and Science, Social, Community and Family Affairs and Enterprise, Trade and Employment to establish an interagency approach to deal with the problem because it obviously transcends many Departments?

It is unsafe to make the assumptions Deputy Higgins continues to make about juvenile crime. Crime figures are decreasing and the overall crime rate has decreased significantly. This trend continues as Government policies continue to hit home.

The Cabinet subcommittee is assessing in an integrated and comprehensive manner the needs of young people in the disadvantaged areas referred to by Deputy Higgins. Initiatives are now being taken to address different aspects of these needs, including measures to counter early school leaving and to provide for children at risk and for their families. To underline the importance of a co-ordinated approach, the Government appointed the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, to the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Education and Science in addition to the Department of Health and Children.

(Mayo): Given the Minister acknowledges that 54 per cent of the offences are alcohol related and just as society in the 1950s was dominated by the scourge of TB, does he agree that underage alcohol consumption is the scourge of the 1990s and that there is an urgent need to tackle the problem head on? Does he agree there is an immediate need to implement sections 40 and 41 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1988, which provides for an identity card scheme? There is an urgent need to introduce a national barcoded identity card scheme administered by the Garda Síochána which would be foolproof and would have to be produced in a public house to prove one is over 18 and entitled to drink. Why have these two sections not been invoked? Given these figures and that so much misery has been caused by teenage drinking — suicides, deaths, slaughter on the road, drop out from work and education, why is the sensible thing not done and the two sections implemented?

There is a provision in the 1988 Criminal Justice Act for the introduction of a voluntary identity card scheme for those under 18.

We must now conclude as the time for this question has elapsed. We must proceed to Question No. 12.

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