Youth Crime in Ireland Essay

unemployment and high school drop outs are categorized as youth crime catalysts in Ireland.

Crimes in Ireland

Youth crimes are defined as unethical behaviors, violation of law or unwanted behaviors perpetrated by youths ranging from the ages of 10 years to 18 years and which has a negative effect on the general public. In Ireland, youth crimes are classified into eleven groups. The first group carries homicide offenses and all related crimes. The first quarter of the year 2016 indicates that 37 Murder and Manslaughter cases have been reported. On the same category, dangerous driving leaving leading to deaths have also been experienced (Central Statistics Office, 2016).

The second group explores sexually related offenses where youths were involved in sexual assaults and rape. Harassments, threats to murder and related crimes are categorized as the third group and have increased with 7% in the year 2016. In this category, poisoning, harassment, and assault on the streets have been reported to increase with 10.3% in the year 2016. Negligent Acts are classified as group four with more than 8,000 reported cases in the year 2016. Some specifics crimes related to this category includes; driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or driving without a driving license (Central Statistics Office, 2016).

Kidnapping and other related offenses is another group of youth related crimes that has increased by 44.3%. Youths are thought to be the force behind the abduction of some individuals as a way of milking money from families. Hijacking, Robbery, and Extortion has increased by7% with more than 2430 cases recorded in the first quarter of 2016. On the other hand, 23, 377 burglaries have been reported between January and April.

This means that theft and burglary is one of major crime rates among the youth in Ireland. Though theft has dropped by about 7%, the cases recorded for the first quarter of 2016 are 73,306 incidents. The vehicle, electronic, phone, individual theft from shops and passengers are some of the crimes experienced with the Ireland youths. Other forms of crimes increase fraud, deception, controlled drug offenses and use of explosives and weapons has decreased. Use of guns and other weapons have decreased by 8% in the streets of Ireland (Central Statistics Office, 2016). Basically, this classification of youth crimes gives a vivid image of how crime rate levels in Ireland are waving within the youth ages.

Most Common Crime

Based on the data given by the National Crime Victimization Survey, the National Juvenile Office and Garda Siochana 1st Quarter report, Theft and other related offenses (Car, Computer, house theft, Fraud, Deception and drug motivated thefts) remains the most common type of crime among the youth. There are 73,306 theft cases reported in the year 2016. The second common type of crime is Social Code and Public Code Offenses that has 32,747 cases within a period of 4 months. Controlled drug offenses are 20,000 for the months running from January to April 2016 (Central Statistics Office, 2016).

Historical and Current Trends

Youth Crimes in Ireland dates back to the 19th Century. In the year 1995, Youth crime rates stood at 30% which latter reduced to 19% in the year 2002. Burglaries related crimes reduced from the mid-1990 to late 1998 when it began rising. This was due to increased migration; increase in in population and reduced employment opportunities (Hoffman, Knox

& Cohen, 2011). From the year 2002 to 2016, Theft and Burglary represent about 78% of the national classified crime groupings. According to National Juvenile Office, Drink and Drug related crimes began cropping up in the year 2002. Following this, these crimes rates have been increasing with 1 or 2 % each year (Webb, 2016). Currently, it stands at 7% of Ireland youth-related crimes. Public Order Offenses stand at 19.4% since the year 2002 to 2015. Lastly, murder and assaults account for 5% from the year 1999, up to the year 2002 and finally to the year 2015 (Central Statistics Office, 2016). From the statistics, it is evident that growth in population has led to an increased crime related to Ireland for the last eleven years.

Issues and Characteristics of Youth Offenders

According to the National Juvenile Office, the biggest issue in youth related crimes is a carefree attitude which is topped up drug influence. Most teens are determined to get first riches without passing through the due process of working hard and getting the riches through the legal and acceptable manner. There are numerous characteristics associated with youth offenders, most of them are under 18 years (Mostly between 13 to 18 years), always under the influence of drugs. Lastly, 90% of young offenders are school drop-outs who were either suspended due to unethical behaviors (Hoffman, Knox & Cohen, 2011). Statistics and numbers to support your claims.

According to Mayock & O'Sullivan (2007), 90% of youth offenders are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Furthermore, most drop out end up on the streets forming the street gangs that terrorize and steel from the individuals on our streets.

The same issue is echoed by AlcoholAction (2016) who highlights that youth between the ages of 13 to 18 years is more into crime related encounters. Nine of ten criminals are always under the influence of alcohol or other hand drugs. For example, he indicates that Street gangs who engage in Car Robbery, mugging, burglary and drug-related business and crimes are between the ages of 15 years to 25 years. This supports my claim that young individual remains the core defaulters of Ireland peace. Lastly, Krohn & Lane (2015) concludes that high school drop-out rates, unemployment among the youths and poverty in families have contributed to higher youth related crime rates.

Interventions/ ways to Tackle Increased Youth Related Crimes

Over the last few years, Government agencies, individuals, school initiatives have worked to reduce the increased rates of youth crimes. Hoffman, Knox & Cohen (2011) indicates that the only sure and efficient to solve youth crimes in Ireland is to work with parents. It is believed that the unethical behavior observed with the children develops right from the earliest years of the child’s life. Therefore, a parents association should be used to empower parents on the best parenting styles (Irish Times, 2010). For the already developed criminals and gang members, rehabilitation and development of informal technical colleges would help improve their education and skill levels towards securing the employment. In essence, every program should aim to remove the youths from poverty (either social, economic or political) in their life cycles.

Programs by Various Agencies to Reduce Youth Crime in Ireland

In the year 2003, the government of Ireland suggested establishment of a National Crime Prevention model that would create and

implement crime prevention strategies in Ireland. For example, they established a school drop-outs and leavers program doubled with children at risk empowerment program that aims to reduce the care-free attitude among youths in Ireland (Mayock & O'Sullivan, 2007). For example, the Springboard Programme works under the Department of Health and Children and helps children and teens who have dropped-out of school. They contribute to empowering the youths to engage in informal employment such as Art rather than engaging in criminal activities. Another active agency is Early Starter Programme that works closely with individuals to reduce the social injustices and disadvantages that support youths in order to prevent school drop-outs and crime-related influences.

Does it Work?

Yes, the strategies used by these agencies are working effectively to reduce crimes in Ireland. For example, a decrease in the use of Guns and another weaponry is an as result of the empowerment and information given to the youths by these agencies. Variously, their ability to work with schools and parents has made easy for the agencies to control crime rates as well as a number of youths engaging in these activities.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis, it is clear that the issue of youth crime in Irish Society grew from a minor problem in the 19th century (early 1990) to cancer between the years 2013 to 2016. The age groups tagged in this youth crime run from the ages of 10 years to an extended age group of 25 years. In most cases, they are used in the theft, drug business, and street gangs, Burglary, Robbery, and Kidnapping. Numerous authors have highlighted that increase in population; increased school drop-outs and lack of

unemployment are some of the factors catalyzing increased youth crimes (Mayock & O'Sullivan, 2007). Empowerment programs, reduction in poverty, parents support program, and the school-student capacity building is seen as some of the most efficient ways to reduce juvenile delinquency rates (Central Statistics Office, 2016). In essence, the government should focus more on creating better-working conditions, schooling environments and well as alleviate poverty in Ireland. In so doing, youth related crime levels with eventually decrease.

References

1. Mayock, P., & O'Sullivan, E. (2007). Lives in crisis: Homeless young people in Dublin. Dublin: Liffey Press.
2. Hoffman, J. S., Knox, L. M., & Cohen, R. (2011). Beyond suppression: Global perspectives on youth violence. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger.
3. Krohn, M. D., & Lane, J. (2015). The handbook of juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice. Chichester, West Sussex, UK; Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell.
4. Central Statistics Office (2016). Recorded Crime Quarter 1 2016 - CSO - Central Statistics Office. Cso.ie. Retrieved 20 July 2016,
   from http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/rc/recordedcrimequarter12016/
5. Webb, L. (2016). Ireland sees much less juvenile crime and public order offences than it used to. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 20 July 2016, from http://www.thejournal.ie/reduction-in-juvenile-and-public-order-offences-1589198-Jul2014/
6. Irish Times (2010). Youth crime. The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 July 2016, from http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/youth-crime-1.616213
7. AlcoholAction. (2016). Alcohol and crime - Alcohol Action Ireland. Alcoholireland.ie. Retrieved 20 July 2016, from http://alcoholireland.ie/facts/case-studies-kids/