Belfast Exposed debate anti-social behaviour
By John Nixon

Belfast Exposed Photography has opened its new gallery located in the Cathedral Quarter. A sound central location where the public can literally walk off the street and view the displays and exhibitions that feature so many aspects of Belfast life, culture, architecture and history. A new exhibition Topography of Titanic was launched . The images are presented in the context of an oral history sound installation collated by artist Ruth Graham. Ian Jeffrey of Goldsmiths’ college in London gave a lecture. As part of its contribution to this years’ Feile and Phobail Belfast Exposed Photography hosted a very lively public debate on crime and anti -social behaviour.

The debate was attended by over forty people from various social backgrounds and viewpoints, outlooks and experiences of crime, all of which proved grist to the mill of the debate. On the panel were community worker Billy Mitchell, Patricia Campbell, Community Health Professional, Stuart Waiton, author of Scared of kids? – Curfews, crime and the regulation of youth. The debate raised more questions than it answered with an emphasis as to exactly what constituted anti-social behaviour. Whatever the answer to that may be, one thing is certain, that there has been a proliferation of crime against property and person in the north and more so since the advent of the ceasefires.

Even attacks on defenceless animals have increased as well as sexual attacks on children and old people. Without doubt certain crimes have reached new depths of depravity with old people the most vulnerable, being beaten or murdered for paltry amounts of money. It was agued, however, that there has been a lot of media hype and stats show that there has been a reduction in car crime. Fear of crime now takes precedence as a number one concern.

Others were critical of the role and response of the police. Some people raised different ways of dealing with anti-social crime which should directly involve the victims of crime.Austin William described cities as places where people came together to live freely and independently and argued for less regulation and surveillance. The debate flagged the whole issue of crime whether anti -social or otherwise as a major concern within communities who feel increasingly vulnerable in the absence of effective policing. Recent stats clearly show a sharp decline in crime over the past ten years. Last years 23 million violent and property crimes were reported down 44 million since 1973.

Rapes, robberies and assaults fell by 54.6 per cent. Some experts point to tougher gaol sentences, better surveillance, improved home security and so on, while others ascribe the fall to dedicated work by the judiciary, prosecutors and police. By the end of 2001 though 5.6 million, one in every 37 Americans are in prison. Whatever the reason for the decline it is apparent that prison alone does not work and indeed in some cases makes things worse. The theme of this debate will undoubtedly continue and maybe there is a message written for us in Ireland.

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