Anti-social youths ‘should be given community work’

YOUNG people engaged in anti-social behaviour should be made give something back to the community as is the case in the North, Sinn Féin said yesterday.

The call came from the party’s Cork members who launched a policy document on anti-social behaviour.

“This restorative justice approach can involve them helping to clean up the results of anti-social behaviour: removing graffiti, cleaning up areas, restoring vandalised property,” the document’s author, Cllr Jonathan O’Brien, said.

He said existing legislation, like the Public Order Act 1994, should be used in full to tackle anti-social behaviour instead of Anti- Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs).

The use of ASBOs was a knee-jerk reaction, he said.

The Sinn Féin document, which calls for a wide range of measures at both local and national levels, has been sent to numerous community groups in the city for their input.

Sinn Féin will hold a public meeting on the issue on November 10 at Ballyphehane Community Centre, which will be addressed by Martin Ferris TD.