John Reddy

Ph.D. Topic: Investigating the Growing Appeal of ‘Community’ and ‘Partnerships’ in Addressing Crime and Disorder

Crime and the fear of crime, especially when combined with economic disadvantage and a poor physical environment has considerable negative impacts on the health and well-being of many children and families.

‘Community safety’ and other forms of multi-agency/community partnership responses to crime and disorder have evolved from these concerns and from the observation that crime control is increasingly difficult in areas marred by a range of social harms, and thus require different methods to traditional policing (Matthews and Pitts, 2001: 3).

This PhD study investigates this relatively new concept of ‘community safety’ and its incorporation into efforts to address problems of crime and disorder and low social cohesion and insecurity in urban communities. The research explores the concurrent development and implementation of a local participatory crime prevention intervention that attempts to build networks, improve social cohesion and civic engagement within a disadvantaged urban community. The study is interested in addressing the question of how the development of multi-agency/sectoral and community based responses to problems of crime and disorder can promote ‘community safety’ in Irish society under circumstances of historic structural inequality? It will explore and offer insight regarding the incorporation of this new approach (design, implementation, outcomes) to urban security among strategies of public service enhancement and urban development.

The study’s objective is to generate knowledge regarding how the state as anchor of these networks through distributing resources and acting as guardian of the public good, addresses the underlying issues of inequality and negative health and wellbeing that accompany the uneven spatial distribution of crime and antisocial behaviour in contemporary Irish society.