1. “Born to Fail - The Perfect Storm”
David’s Story
“Born to Fail - The Perfect Storm”
Neighbourhood Renewal– Lisburn February 2011
Criminal Justice was always intended to be the service of last resort. Over the years, for various reasons, it has evolved to become the service of first resort. Our role is to deal with those members of society who cannot or will not play by the rules.
Criminal justice does have an important role to play but it is our responsibility to outline clearly exactly what outcomes can be expected.
Violence provides a very good example. We are NOT the Violent Crime reduction unit. Violence is behaviour and we must view the potential solutions from this perspective. Violence is everything from bullying to suicide. Police have always dealt with challenge after the point of impact. The loser is the victim and the winner is the offender, we have victim services set up separate from offender services, but that outcome is largely happenstance. Our emphasis must now be on prevention because what we have been doing so far has had little lasting effect. We must now begin to consider the behaviour that led to that point of impact and intervene there and this will require closer involvement of other agencies. We must learn to influence and affect how others deliver their core business.
Public Health Vs Criminal Justice
DCS John Carnochan QPM FFPH
Scottish Violence Reduction Unit 1

3. The Plan Violence Reduction – It’s not easy
Public Health – A useful Lens
Early Years – Could it be Magic ?
David’s Story – Knew that would happen!!
The Evidence – Too much ?
The Challenges – To be Overcome

4. “The challenges we face converge, intertwine and often remain largely beyond our understanding. Most of us suspect that the “experts” don’t really know what’s going on and that as a species we’ve released forces that are neither managed nor manageable.”
Thomas Homer-Dixon
(Paper by Prof Phil Hanlon University of Glasgow 2009
Violence is a WICKED problem – Command and Control – crisis – straightforward
Management – process – complicated
Leadership – people and attitudes and change- wicked
Policy, Structure and Strategy are EASY
People and culture are difficult
Your ability to negotiate and influence outwith your authority – perhaps needs an uncomfortable debate 4

5. Dispelling some myths
First - We can police our way out of this
Second - Victims and offenders are separate groups
Finally – There is a single solution and we know what it is

6. Violence – Context

8. The WHAT
“Interpersonal violence – violence between individuals in families and communities – is a public health problem.”
Etienne Krug
Director
Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention
World health Organisation
2004 8

9. The HOW Identify risk / protective factors Systematic data collection
Research why it occurs
Surveillance
Systematic data collection
Develop and evaluate interventions
Find out what works.
Implement
Scale up and evaluate effective programmes 9

10. Injury Surveillance

11. Understand Causes of Violence
Two components to Violence:
The propensity to be violent - personal factors
The triggers of violence - social factors
The Wave Report “Violence and what to do about it” 11

12. Risk factors – Child Rearing – Family – Socio Economic David Farrington The Cambridge Study
Farrington D.P. (2003). Key results from the first 40 years of the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development,. Realising Britain’s Potential: Future Strategic Challenges for Britain. The Strategy Unit February 2008.

13. Deprivation

14. Percentage of Employers reporting an employee skill gap
What do Employers Want ?
Percentage of Employers reporting an employee skill gap 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Literacy
Using numbers
Advanced IT or software
Strategic management
Basic computer literacy / using IT
Written communication
Other technical and practical skills
Oral communication
Team working
Problem solving
Customer handling
Planning and organising
Future Skills Bar Chart. See Future Skills Scotland Website, Employer Survey 2004, p27, fig 15. 14

15. Rates of Return to Human Capital
Higher Education
Secondary
This is where we currently invest our public funds – the evidence is overwhelming that there is a better way to invest. It is more effective and it is more economic.
We need to help support parents do a very difficult job. It’s not about bad parents or poor parents. It is difficult in ideal circumstances and it becomes even more difficult when circumstances are not supportive. A violent or aggressive and bullying partner will inhibit Mum’s ability as a parent, alcohol, drugs, isolation, all make being a parent very difficult. They need support.
Primary
Preschool 15

16. Which one is the most important ?
Early Intervention: Insuring for a better future.
Which one do we insure against future harm?
Which one do we assess on an annual basis?
Which one do we assess the person in control?
Which one do we ban unfit owners/users?
Which one is governed by most legislation?
Which one is the most important ? 16

17. Ecological Model = The Frame
Societal
Community
Relationship
Individual
Lack of communication skills
Poor behavioural control
Impulsiveness
Aggressive behaviour
Lack of skills to deal with conflict
Inability to judge risk
Lack of “life” skills
Exclusion from Services/Schools
Nutrition Diet Health
Alcohol
Lack of employment opportunities
Parenting
Lack of knowledge
Friends that engage in violence
Prevalence of gang culture
Violent families – siblings/parents
Lack of significant adults/positive role model
Lack of punishment for pre cursor offences – knife carrying
Lack of visible swift justice
Links to deprivation
Scottishness
Inequality
Cultural norms
Legitimisation of violence
Access to and use of alcohol
Lack of aspiration
Dependancy
Tolerance
As it relates to violence – identifies opportunities to intervene and affect – few will require Police or CJ involvement 17

18. Seven main strategies to prevent violence

19. Safe stable and nurturing relationships
Early, primary prevention to avoid the development of violence such as child abuse and childhood aggression
Parenting programmes
Information & support for parents
Parent & child programmes
Preschool education, family support, child health services etc.
Social support groups
e.g. peer support for parents
Media interventions
e.g. raise awareness &
knowledge of child maltreatment
Some strong evidence that parenting programmes and parent and child programmes can reduce child maltreatment and problem/aggressive behaviours in youth

20. Life skills Preschool enrichment Social development training
Cognitive, emotional, interpersonal & social skills to enable youth to deal with the challenges of everyday life
Preschool enrichment
Child skills, parent programmes
Social development training
Conflict resolution, perspective taking, anger management.
Academic enrichment
Study & recreation out of school
Educational incentives
E.g. finance for completing school
Vocational Training
Providing skills to find work
Some strong evidence that preschool enrichment and social development programmes can reduce aggression and improve social skills, particularly in at-risk youth

21. Challenges Difficult Difficult Vision Strategy Policy
Operating Procedure
Guidance
People
Attitudes
Difficult
Difficult

22. Northern Ireland’s Children and Young People
Healthy
Enjoying, learning and achieving
Living in safety and with stability
Experiencing economic and
environmental well-being
Contributing positively to community
and society and
Living in a society which Respects
their rights.

23. NATIONAL PERFORMANCE LIFE JOURNEY NATIONAL POLICIES
Purpose
Government Economic Strategy
National Outcomes
NATIONAL PERFORMANCE
SOAs
LIFE JOURNEY
birth 18 10 16
Valuing our Young People
Early Years Framework
More Choices More Chances
Curriculum for Excellence
GIRFEC
Promoting Positive Outcomes (ASB)
YJ Framework
NATIONAL POLICIES
Road to Recovery (Drugs)
Alcohol framework
Equally Well (Health Inequalities)
Achieving our Potential (Poverty) 23

24. Challenges Outcomes not processes
Wicked problem – Leaders not technicians
Partnership in action – policy and Practice
Outcomes not processes
Public health inspired response
Interdisciplinary - Collaboration
Evidence-led - problem profile – outcome evaluation
Prevention focused - earlier, more effective intervention – further upstream
Whole population - ecological model

25. Challenges
Joining up
Coalition – Collaboration - Consensus - health, education, community….
Dilution - everyone’s a partner; no-one’s Responsible
Outcomes – clear- defined – Shared
Scaling up
Fragmented delivery landscape
Territorialism – professional Gangs
Lack of robust outcome Evaluation
Resources – state of public finances – Opportunity?
Wising up
Leadership – out of the comfort zone – Adaptive – Brave – Resilient

26. It has to be about
Action that is informed by evidence and designed to deliver clear meaningful Outcomes
Research that is informed by and connected to practice
Clear, consistent, Collaborative policy that hits the pavement. 26

27. “There is nothing more difficult to carryout, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to conduct than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all who profit by the old order and only lukewarm defenders in all those who profit by the new order”
Machiavelli, The Prince