SF Highlights Street Violence

There's to be a meeting today on how to address the problem of violent and anti-social crime in west Belfast.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams will discuss the issues with the Minister of Justice David Ford and is set to include recent developments in west Belfast in the aftermath of the brutal murder of Lenadoon man Seamus Fox murder.

The West Belfast MP will put specific proposals to the Minister of Justice for new Justice Laws to tackle violent and anti-social crime.

The meeting is a follow up to a series of discussions which Gerry Adams and other senior Sinn Fein representatives have had in recent weeks with the PSNI.

"Following an intense series of meetings with the PSNI in recent weeks Sinn Féin has been informed of a number of steps the police will be taking to tackle violent crime in west Belfast.

"These are useful first steps in beginning to address the problem of violent and anti-social crime but much more needs to be done," he said.

Sinn Féin has discussed with the PSNI the problem of prolific repeat offenders and the fact that their behaviour is poorly monitored and frequently not at all.

Likewise, the PSNI has pointed out in discussions with Sinn Féin that the Public Prosecution Service and other agencies do not have a definition for 'hotspots’'in the way that the PSNI and the local community have.

"These problems, together with sustaining and investing in the West Belfast Community Safety Forum on a longer term basis will be part of the agenda for our meeting with the Minister of Justice on Tuesday," the MP said, noting that he would also put very specific proposals to tackle violent and anti-social crime which will require legislation in the Assembly but are vital in the battle against crime.

These include curtailing under-pricing of alcohol in off-sales and large retail outlets and bringing in new standards of enforcement to curb on-street drinking and consumption of alcohol in public parks and more rigorous supervision of and management upon release of the most serious prolific repeat offenders.

He also said that a coherent community/statutory definition of trouble 'hotspots' was crucial in ensuring that all of the relevant justice agencies have an agreed position to which they adhere. This will also require that other government departments deliver resources and policy changes.

"These proposals have emerged out of the experience of the west Belfast community in dealing with anti-social and violent crime," he said.

"They are common sense proposals. But they will require change within the justice agencies. They will also require legislation in the Assembly," the MP concluded, also noting that he is also going to raise concerns about conditions for prisoners in Maghaberry and current situation within the prison.

(BMcC/GK)