The community within the greater West Belfast area have had to endure a heavier burden than others in relation to car crime. Statistically a disproportionate level of stolen car ‘activity’ happens in this area. Whilst roughly 2 out of every 3 stolen vehicles recovered from the locality, are in fact stolen from areas other than West Belfast, all three vehicles often end up being driven recklessly and hazardously across the west of the city exposing the residents of the area to exceptionally high levels of risk, danger and fear.

With a history for this particular crime stretching beyond 25 years and with levels of ‘stolen car activity’ in 2000, showing little signs of declining the ‘community sector’ of the area began to demand that the statutory agencies address the issue. The probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI), an agency with a long track record of working in partnership with local communities across Northern Ireland in seeking to address issues relation to offending behaviour and crime reduction, responded to this challenge.


Working in Partnership

PBNI convened a series of meetings to which representatives from a number of key statutory agencies were invited. This group of individuals went on to become the project development group and was comprised of partners from Health & Social Services, Education and the Criminal Justice sectors. They, together with local community sector representatives and in consultation with representatives from the police began to lay the foundations for what would become the Inclusive Model of Partnership Against Car Theft (IMPACT) Project. Additional financial support to launch, maintain and evaluate the project was secured from the Northern Ireland Office.

At the outset of the IMPACT Project two fundamental and guiding tenets were agreed by all participating agencies and partners as prerequisites in any serious attempt to build solutions to the problem of car crime. It was necessary firstly, to secure a multi-agency response bringing together a range of multi-disciplinary skills and resources to focus on the problem. Secondly, it was deemed critical that local community representatives enter into a partnership with the statutory agencies in managing the resources and direction of the project. The IMPACT staff team began to build up a staff team in June 2001


A Strategic Solution Focused Approach

The direction of the work undertaken by the project has been influenced by both ‘offender literature studies and practice’ and by previous local projects that dealt with the issue. After careful consideration it was agreed that IMPACT would adopt a ‘strategic approach’ and that it would channel its efforts at three broad levels targeting both those involved in and vulnerable to becoming involved in this type of offending behaviour. This entails carrying out;

Preventative work with those ‘vulnerable’ to becoming involved in such behaviour
Diversionary work with those on the ‘margins’ of this behaviour
Interventionist work with those ‘actively’ engaged in car crime.

The ‘What Works’ philosophy applies to all three areas of work and two central points are emphasised in working with young people, firstly creating an awareness and empathy for victims and secondly, exploring the consequences of behaviour for both those involved in car crime and for the wider community. In practice this means working in environments ranging from young offender centres, youth centres, probation offices, primary and post-primary schools to community based premises and street locations in detached methods of work.

Speak to victim whose vehicle has been stolen and trashed, listen to the residents of neighbourhoods where these stolen vehicles are driven recklessly and relentlessly throughout the night or spend a few minutes observing the devastation inflicted upon the families of those victims who have died as a consequence of such behaviour and the enormous affect of this crime is evident, for all to see. What the IMPACT project presents to such communities is the tangible offer of working together in an attempt to build solutions to this crime.

The IMPACT Project is committed to working across a range of sectors and in equal partnership with local communities in building solutions to the problem of car theft. We are committed to the notions of shared arrangements, collaboration, inclusiveness and partnership.