White Paper on Crime

Sparks

As noted by Rovi in the Press Clippings thread:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0119/breaking49.htm
Relevant sections highlighted in bold.

Ahern launches new measures to tackle crime

AOIFE CARR

A ban on handguns, new surveillance powers to deal with gangland crime and a DNA database are among measures set to be introduced by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Dermot Ahern in the coming weeks.

Mr Ahern made the announcement at the launch of the State’s first White Paper on crime today saying tackling crime was his “number one priority.”

The White Paper will include a review of current law enforcement issues and will investigate the implications of changing technologies and social trends, the role of victims and witnesses and the part played by sanctions and diversion.

It will also look at differing approaches to crime prevention and early intervention both nationally and internationally.

Speaking today Mr Ahern said the policy document would be at the heart of a new long-term strategy to fight crime.

“It will be the blueprint to serve successive governments for decades ahead. To that end, it will be the most wide-ranging and comprehensive policy development exercise ever undertaken in this area,” he said.

"In developing the White Paper, I want the input of communities and ordinary people as well as criminologists and social scientists, and those at the front line in the fight against crime."

Anyone interested in contributing to the policy document should send their views to the Department of Justice focusing on which subjects should be addressed.

Updates on the White Paper process will be carried in a dedicated section of the Department's website www.justice.ie and an email address whitepaperoncrime@justice.ie has been set up for receiving feedback.

The dedicated section mentioned is here:
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/White_Paper_on_Crime

And here are some excerpts:

Overview of the White Paper on Crime Process

A White Paper provides a high level statement of Government policy, its rationale and the strategies to give effect to that policy.

The development of a White Paper on Crime will be the first of its kind and the first major official examination of the overall approach to dealing with crime since the report of the National Crime Forum (1998) and the ‘Tackling Crime’ discussion document (1997).

The last decade has been marked by wide-ranging legislative and organisational changes in the Irish criminal justice system, accompanied by unprecedented resource. allocation in measures to combat and prevent crime. Huge progress has been made across the board and the depth of the response to this complex issue has grown significantly. Many individual issues in the field have also been the subject of detailed study during this time and this work will inform the development of the White Paper.

Notwithstanding the progress made, crime remains a real and persistent problem and a subject of legitimate concern to many individuals and communities.

Against this background and in the context of ongoing social and cultural change in Irish society, it is timely and necessary to assess the systems and measures in place to prevent and combat crime and to plan for future policy development.

Consultation will play a key role in the preparation of the White Paper and will take a variety of formats, so as to achieve an extensive and inclusive range of input. Members of the public, as well as all of the relevant public agencies and other interested bodies will all have a full opportunity to contribute to the policy’s formulation.

Consultation

Consultation is an essential part of the development of the White Paper on Crime.

While the White Paper project is at present at a preliminary phase, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform intends to undertake consultations which will be both extensive and inclusive and which utilise a variety of formats. Members of the public, together with the relevant public agencies and other interested bodies will have a full opportunity to contribute to the policy’s formulation.

A key element in the process will be the production of a series of discussion documents which will be used to give structure to the very broad range of subjects which will need to be examined as part of the process.

A number of topics are under consideration as possible subjects for discussion documents. These include; crime prevention and intervention strategies, sanctions and diversion from offending, organised crime, community involvement in tackling crime and the role of victims and witnesses.

If you have any opinions on the range of subjects to be considered, or any other views you may submit them at any time to:

White Paper on Crime Unit,
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform,
94 St. Stephen’s Green,
Dublin 2.
or
whitepaperoncrime@justice.ie

If making a submission, please state if the views expressed are personal or are being made on behalf of an organisation. If views of an organisation are being submitted, it should be made clear which organisation is being represented.

Submissions may be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts. As these may be published, please indicate if you would prefer your submission to remain confidential.