Project steps up work with young offenders in wake of upsurge in violence

'There’s no massive increase in violence, it happens on the regular. But there’s the ongoing problem of the drugs trade and the aggro and intimidation that goes on around that.'

A youth project has stepped up its outreach work with young offenders after a recent spate of violence in Dublin's inner city.

The Solas Project intensified its street work after managers saw a video involving young people they know taking part in a violent assault outside Guinness.

Ashling Golden, justice programmes manager at Solas, disputes  teenage violence is a growing problem — but does stress the “ongoing problem” of the drugs trade and the impact it has on young people.

Ms Golden is to due to speak at this weekend’s Citizen Assembly on Drugs in relation to drugs and prisons. The Solas Project also runs a programme with young offenders in prison.

Solas has two programmes for serious offenders — Rua (for those aged under 18) and Try (which works with young adults).

Ms Golden said they had to act recently when a video circulated online of an assault involving teenagers they worked with.

“We had an immediate response, as some were young people we know and work with,” she said. 

A violent assault needs a response so it doesn’t escalate and no reprisal punishment.

“We asked [the young people] ‘what’s going on, does anyone need any help, is anyone under threat, is anyone making threats, can we do anything to lower the threat level?'” 

She said this work was not new, just intensified: “With the spate of attacks in recent weeks, we have been making sure our outreach is much more systematic, planned and successful. If young people aren’t where they normally are we go further to try and find them.” 

She said she did not believe teenage violence had become worse: “There’s no massive increase in violence, it happens on the regular. But there’s the ongoing problem of the drugs trade and the aggro and intimidation that goes on around that. It’s the effect of the drug industry on the community, but there’s nothing new about that.” 

Ms Golden added: “I really think we need a circular approach to how we deal with this. There have been calls for more gardaí on the street, a more visible Garda presence — and that’s fine — but we need to look at why this is happening, what’s going on here that young people are engaging in this behaviour. 

“Youth work projects are often the first engagement these young people have with responsible adults. We get there before the police get there, before social work gets there, before Oberstown gets there and we are able to have that engagement — based on their needs, not on punishment. That preventative approach needs to be prioritised.” 

She said the Department of Justice had “upped their game” in this area, with the extension of youth diversion projects and the rollout of “hard-to-reach" workers.