Combating Crime

This essay will focus on juvenile crime and ways of preventing or combating career crime amongst young offenders by exploring Garda Youth Diversion Programmes and how they can be effective.A Youth/Community work practitioners role is to engage with those who are socially excluded and marginalised in society and they hold the responsibility of reversing these exclusionary processes to create opportunities for constructive social inclusion and positive change to take place. In order to combat or prevent crime there are many issues which must be taken into account. Amoung those committing crimes what form of social capital exists, what is their social class, their status in society, their family background, is substance abuse a concern, and finally their sense of belonging within their own community.

When dealing with young offenders it is important to identify what form of social capital exists. Social Capital refers to the features of social relationships, levels of interpersonal trust, norms of reciprocity and mutual aid. Social capital is believed to play an important role in the functioning of a community, the promotion of successful youth development and the prevention of juvenile crime. So if social capital does not exist youths are at risk of career crime. There are two types of social capital, static and dynamic. Boecks research(2006) suggests that young offenders or those at risk are typified by static social capital and it is clear why. Static social capital consists of   tight bonded small networks leading to a narrow trust which is inward looking and reciprocity is characterised by an immediate or no sense of return. This form of social capital can result in young peoples outlook on life becoming restricted and less optimistic as they have a restricted sense of belonging. This may then lead to risk averse behaviour. This risk averse behaviour may involve young people committing crimes but it restricts the capacity to take risks associated with 'moving...