Policing and civil society

Question 1

Crime, security and civil society: A background:

Answer 1

A curious and unlikely myth propagated in official & criminological discourse is that NI enjoys a low crime rate

Question 2

Northern Ireland as a safe society?:

Answer 2

1989: 15% of adults in NI a victim of crime vs 19% in GB, 21% across Europe

2009: NI has lowest victimisation levels since records began

2012: NI lowest crime rates on record/significantly lower crime victimisation than England and Wales

2017: NI= 10% chance of victimisation

2023: 6.9% chance of victimization - lowest since records began

A significant downward trajectory across all recorded security situation categories of violence

Criminological data projects an image of peace and harmony in NI, a contrived image that contributes to a partisan political fiction

Question 3

The other reality to crime and security in NI:

Answer 3

Since loyalist and republican ceasefires of 1994 through 2004:

170 people murdered by paramilitaries
11000 people suffered terrorist related incidents
2600 people received punishment attacks
5500 illegal firearms seized
1100 explosive devices have been uncovered
1500 people forced from homes for sectarian reasons.

Half of terrorism threats in Europe happen in NI

Terrorism threat higher than England and Wales

Question 4

Between the lines of safety and security

Answer 4

Police at centre of conflict in NI:

Notions of ‘normal’ policing on both sides of community stretched
Never any uniform conception of policing in NI, either before or after patten reforms
Physical act of reporting crime can be arduous
Crime stats do not reflect impact and crimes of mass public order situations

Reporting crime in both communities is still challenging
Hard to walk into any police station

Question 5

Paramilitary ‘policing’

Answer 5

Loyalist and republican ‘self-policing’ over past 50years:

A new framework for alternative justice developed in both loyalists and republican urban working class areas, based on defensiveness from threats outside the geographic boundaries of ethno-national communities, which later justified the claims to protect the community from internal threats

Question 6

Regardless of moral stance, paramilitary policing contributed to

Answer 6

The de facto policing of areas

Acting as a parallel justice system

Question 7

An entirely separate system of policing

Answer 7

• Knock on the door to talk
  
  • Curfew
  • Fines
  • Acts of public humiliation
  • Exiling
  • Exclusion from local services - shops
  • Shootings

Question 8

Explaining paramilitary punishments/Policing:

Answer 8

Numerous reasons for paramilitary policing:

- Self-protection from the 'other' community 
- Alternative to partisan policing/lack of policing
- Supported by the political communities of NI

Paramilitaries depend on their community for protection, discretion and financial support, in turn, the community members demand defence and protection

Question 9

Community demand for paramilitary policing?:

Answer 9

Attitudes to level of policing being delivered by PSNI

A community crying out for proper policing

Question 10

Situating paramilitary policing in Criminological thought:

Crime as a function of power in society:

Answer 10

Generally this paramilitary ‘power’ exercised over young males

Construction of ‘hood’ as an anti-social behaviour label to ‘justify’ paramilitary policing

‘double punishment ‘ for young males through their ‘crimes’ acquiring both criminal and political meaning

The ascription of ‘hooding’ provided the paramilitaries with the means to develop community policing alongside propagation of a ‘counter-iconography’ to the law and order image of the state

Question 11

Outside the paramilitary paradigm:

Answer 11

Not the only nonstate policing in ni
Shadow policing

Many non-violent, community based forms of nonstate policing

Question 12

Conclusion

Answer 12

Northern Ireland has a rich, conflicting picture of policing in relation to crime levels

Paramilitary policing still a (diminishing) factor of the ‘policing landscape’in contemporary NI context

A significant‘fourth service’exists through the proxy of voluntary / community sector strength and cohesion which developed out
of the conflict

Myriad activities undertaken by a variety of non-state groups and bodies in the local governance of security.

Question 13

overall

Answer 13

The impact of this form dark crimonlogical justice

- DO NOT NEED A HISTORY - LITTLE SNIPPET

- What is the impact beyond the shottings, beatings and punishments

• More modernised elements - devoltions of paramility into modernised - control of vunerable populations - on individual victims
• Concentrated in areas most impacted by the conflict - long standing legacy and problems with the police in northern ireland