Justice chiefs want to expand project that ‘breaks the cycle of offending’

Justice chiefs want to expand an intensive project with prolific offenders after evaluations indicate significant reductions in crimes.

The early success of the pilot projects has already seen similar initiatives for adult offenders in Waterford, Limerick, and Dundalk, and two youth programmes in Cork and Dublin.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice David Stanton said the evaluations of the three projects in Dublin indicate it “actually works” and said he wanted to see it expanded and to make it “the mainstream” in dealing with offenders.

His view was backed by the heads of the Probation Service, the Garda boss for Dublin and the Irish Prison Service — and also received support from Fianna Fáil.

Independent consultants reviewed three projects: Acer3 (Dublin south inner city and Tallaght); Change Works (Dublin region generally), and Strive (Ballymun, north Dublin).

Findings across the Joint Agency Response to Crime (J-ARC) projects indicate:

Percentages of targets (offenders) who did not re-offend ranged from 15% (Acer3), to 28% (Strive), to 37% (Change Works);

A 60% drop in burglary offences in Acer3 area and a 23% fall in all offences in Strive;

Half of Acer3 participants were returned to custody along with around 30% of Strive targets.

The report said the evaluations appeared to show positive results but cautioned the samples were small, around 90 people.

It said a PSNI study of a similar scheme indicated that for every £1 spent on it, there was a benefit of £2.20 in reduced economic costs of crime.

The report said three projects have replicated the Acer3 model, focusing on burglary offenders, in Waterford, Limerick and Dundalk.

A Youth J-ARC project was piloted earlier this year at offenders aged 16-21 in Blanchardstown, west Dublin and Mayfield and Gurranabraher in Cork.

Probation Service boss Vivian Geiran said previous research indicated that 80% of certain crimes are committed by 20% of people.

He said that the projects focus heavily on burglary offenders (the most prolific of criminals) and that the findings showed their offending had “definitely reduced”.

Dublin police chief Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy said the projects have seen a reduction in offending.

“Burglary stands out — the rate of offending has decreased quite significantly,” he said, adding that while there has been a general drop in burglary rates across the country, the fall is greater in the J-ARC areas.

He said that for those who continue to offend, there has been a reduction in the type and severity of the crimes, also benefiting the community. He said they were “certainly looking at extending” the J-ARC programme.

Prison Service chief Michael Donnellan said the project aimed to “break the cycle” of criminality by prolific offenders, who are in and out of prison.

Mr Stanton said these schemes were a “win-win” for both offenders and society and was particularly interested in the outcome of the Youth J-ARC project.