“Education as a Catalyst for Regeneration”,Limerick , June 3rd 2010

Community Safety: Including the Excluded

John ReddyThe Child and Family Research

Centre, National University of Ireland,

Galway.

Why use locally based partnerships to improve ‘safety’?

• “Strong links” between the distribution of recorded crime and levels of poverty and social cohesion found in different areas (Hirschfield, 2005)

• ‘Community’ is where “risk and protective factors” converge (Chaskin, 2008)

• Social equality and child development (Sampson, 2009)

• Local government and (re)building stable and functioning communities (Squires, 2006)

Outline of this presentation….

• An area based response to Community Safety, Tallaght West, Dublin

• Background: spatial & socio-demographic context

• To describe risk, safety and community • To describe the experience of ‘partnership’• To describe the inclusion of ‘community’• Early Reflections

Methodology for this Paper

Case study approach – • Community safety in Tallaght West

Qualitative research• In-depth interviews and focus groups with

46 stakeholders• Structured observation of the

community/statutory/non-Govt. partnership process

Area based response to crime and Community Safety

• Community Safety Initiative (CSI) – one of five programmes supporting improved outcomes for children & families in Tallaght West

• The Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative (CDI)

• Funding – Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) & Atlantic Philanthropies

• CFRC commissioned by CDI to evaluate the CSI 2008 - 2011

Early intervention and prevention

The Community Safety Initiative (CSI)• area based ‘secondary service’• engagement between services and

community residents• strengthening capacity • Partnership – attachment to and

responsibility for the area’s disorder issues• physical and social regeneration

Desired Outcomes of the Community Safety Initiative

• More activities for young people;• Tackle anti-social behaviour;• Decrease in drug use;• Increase in Garda presence;• Young people taking pride in area;• Community feels safe;• Improved physical environment;• Tackle vandalism.

Spatial context of the research

• Tallaght West, 13 kilometres southwest of Dublin city.

• 4 ‘target communities’ – population of 24,252

• Fettercairn/Brookfield, Killinarden, Jobstown

• High proportion of young people (41% are 18 years or under compared to Irish average 25%) (CSO, 2006)

• RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning Investment and Development) status in 2001

• Recorded incidents of ASB, public disorder, drug offences up in 2008

Relevant Socio-Demographic Statistics (CSO, 2006)

Tallaght West % State %

Public (rented) housing

43 7

Unemployment 15 7

Lone parent families

39 18

Third level education, technical or vocational qualifications

25.5 37.5

Unprecedented 44 percent in Tallaght live register increase (October 2008 to October 2009) from 5518 people to 9718 people

Community Safety

Collision course - Anne (primary school pupil) (CDI, 2008)

Community Safety

“This used to be a crèche, it got burnt overnight it was trashed. People go inside when its dark and take drugs” Lisa (primary school pupil) (CDI, 2008)

Community Safety

“The community centre is a place where you feel safe - Karen (primary school pupil (CDI, 2008)

Differences within estates ...

106 ‘abandoned’ houses in Tallaght as of December 2009

Differences within estates ...

Uneven Capital Spending

Tallaght Integrated Area Plan - 1999 to 2007 Nearly €900m spent on town centre, business/commercial property, in comparison €71m on disadvantaged areas in Tallaght West (Norris and Redmond, 2009)

Risk, Safety and Community

• Fear of becoming a victim“I don’t know if it’s a fear of crime, its just

fear of an area, fear of what's happening around us, fear that the kids have no fear anymore” (Community worker)

• Low social cohesion “They [bullies/criminals] know you’re on

your own, you’re vulnerable, you can’t fight back” (Resident)

• Left behind and abandoned

Risk, Safety and Community

• Disconnection from support networks“things [crime and antisocial behaviour] are

happening in your area and nobody is responding to them and people get despondent then about what’s going around and find if you don’t look after yourself nobody else will” (Resident)

• Social control and role models“…they’re actually looking at other lads selling

drugs and they’re 17 and 18. And they’re 12 and 13 and they also sell drugs at corners. 12 and 13 until late hours it happens all over, most areas…” (Teenager)

 

Events and Activities – 2 pilot sites

A Safe Community – Experiencing ‘Partnership’

• Community participation and service integration

“getting the community engaged and involved in taking responsibility for themselves and feeling that they have a role and a voice then in how the state agencies are looking after them” (Service provider)

• Quality of life issues“…if it’s already established when new people are

moving into the house… then… it’s not a choice, this is what we do in our estate, if you’re part of this estate, this is what we do. It’s just a community thing” (Teenager)

A Safe Community – Including ‘Community’

• Promoting neighbourliness and attachment

“It pulled the community together, really. Tried to get people to work together, parents, dads, kids, everybody to work together as one” (Resident)

“…we don’t want to be the ones saying I’ll give you this and I’ll give you that and it never comes through” (Resident)

Including ‘community’

• Building networks and sharing responsibility

“it’s to do with this idea of individuals and communities taking responsibility themselves and instead of becoming service consumers actually shaping the services provided....actually really shaping what needs to happen in their communities” (Service provider)

“…the biggest challenge we’ve always had is how to engage with the locals in a meaningful way” (Service provider)

Early Reflections – Using community – why?

• To re-establish informal links and networks encouraging local responsibility for what is happening in the area

• To reclaim the area – “maintaining the community’s wellbeing”

• But uncertain about the initiative and how it will involve those who need to be involved “those who are causing the trouble”

Early Reflections – Using Community - Practical Challenges

• Agreed vision and local ownership

• Clear purpose and concrete, attainable goals and objectives

• A high degree of planning

• Community engagement , time and energy

• Long-term and sustainable

Thank You

John Reddy 00353 91 495735Child and Family Research Centre,School of Political Science and Sociolog

y,NUI Galwayl.reddy2@nuigalway.ie

     

• For further information on the CSI and the Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative, please visit www.twcdi.ie or ring 01 4940030