Cardoso Di Paolo, Sabrina (2024) “Can Ireland keep us safe?” – a view from the Latin American community. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

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Abstract

This study, distinguished by its unique approach of considering the central cultural values, migration reasons, and prior experiences of a particular community in Ireland, aims to fill an existing gap in the perception of risk and the security attitude. By examining these factors, the study promises to shed new light on the complex relationship between cultural values, migration, and perceptions of policing, making it a compelling and intriguing research for the academic community. Groups of immigrants, including the Latin American community, bring with them a rich tapestry of cultural values and prior experiences that significantly shape their perceptions of policing. As Arisukwu (2012) argues, the experience in the country of residence is as significant as that of those from their hometown, which remains deeply ingrained. Immigrants often view and interpret their present insights using their home countries as a point of reference (Menjívar & Bejarano, 2004), a perspective crucial to understanding their unique and significant perceptions of policing. In this sense, over the past two decades, most Latin American countries have been struggling to create or reform their police forces while simultaneously confronting intense increases in violent crime. Reformers have gravitated toward community-oriented policing practices, which aim to rely on preventive tactics rather than repressive ones and build close ties between police members and the public. Still, unfortunately, these reforms occurred against a backdrop of rising problems and insecurity (Malone & Dammert, 2021). As a result, citizens across the region have identified insecurity as a top priority and rank insecurity as the most pressing nationwide issue in some countries. This high level of violence and antisocial behaviour have made it extremely difficult for many nations to abandon repressive policing practices, and the political system came around by reacting against what it was called ‘soft on crime’, which aftermath could eventually benefit the interests of criminals over the rights of people. What matters most to people in Latin America is the effectiveness of police in achieving goals such as arrest, detention, and forfeiture. Similarly, some argued that the policing paradigm should prioritise increasing control as the principal mechanism to consolidate police legitimacy (Hough, 2013). Ultimately, this research not only aims to understand the Latin American community's perception of policing in Ireland but also intends to explore the origins and justifications of this position deeply. In doing so, it raises important questions about these people's feelings about Garda´s role, their stance concerning firearms, police discretion of search and arrest, deprotection perception, and emotional background.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Additional Information:	A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Keywords:	Ireland; safe; Latin American community; Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Law
Item ID:	19066
Depositing User:	IR eTheses
Date Deposited:	15 Oct 2024 15:02
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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