My experience as a youth worker tells me that young people engaged in criminal behaviour often don’t choose it
Social Democrats children’s spokesperson Aidan Farrelly has strongly criticised the government following the publication of a Probation Service report that confirms there has been a 10 percent increase in child referrals to the service.
Deputy Farrelly said:
“A 10 percent increase in the number of children being referred to the Probation Service is alarming, but it is very important to highlight the actual number of referrals is in the hundreds – 609.
“Given there are approximately 450,000 people aged between 12-17 living in Ireland, this represents a tiny fraction of the number of teenagers in the country.
“Successive governments have failed to acknowledge that their policies have exacerbated structural inequalities facing communities. In many instances, this contributes to youth crime increasing in areas.
“The Government cannot afford to bury its head in the sand when it comes to the young people of Ireland. Whether it’s endemic poverty levels, a rise in gang-related incidents, drug debt, employment equality – it is time for this government to take the problems facing young people seriously.
“Any cost benefit analysis would tell this government that investing in communities, youth services, and Garda youth diversion programmes would provide an important dividend to the State by way of increased civic engagement, a sense of belonging and opportunity.
“The Deputy Director of the Probation Service, Fíona Ní Chinnéide, has acknowledged that young people show the greatest potential for positive change, and I fully agree.
“My experience as a youth worker tells me that young people engaged in criminal behaviour often don’t choose it. It is imperative that this government invests in young people and communities.”