Anti-Social Behaviour in Northern Ireland

Book excerpt: Anti-social behaviour has rapidly emerged as one of the most pressing concerns facing the UK. There are frequent media reports on the issue. Many academics and policy makers have also attempted to define the term and analyze why such disorder happens. The research has been extremely valuable, but few studies have specifically analyzed the issue of anti-social behaviour in Northern Ireland. This book seeks to fill this gap in knowledge. This study considers whether certain aspects of the Troubles in Northern Ireland could be considered as anti-social behaviour in retrospect. It also analyzes the role paramilitary groups played in dealing with incidents of disorder during this period of time. In addition, the book evaluates what impact political settlement has had on the perceptions of anti-social behaviour in the country. The study also explains some of the theoretical problems associated with the term in order to facilitate the specific evaluation of the issue in Northern Ireland. The analysis of what the term represents, the causes and the impact, offers a constructive insight into how best to respond to the problem of anti-social behaviour in the future.