Children are being lured into joining ‘ambitious’ drug gangs by the promise of ‘money and runners’, according to a leading crime journalist.

On The Pat Kenny Show today, Nicola Tallant said young people - from mostly underprivileged areas - see drug gangs as legitimate “career paths”.

It comes as the Drogheda Intervention Board has been established to combat school dropouts and gang violence in the town.

Similar programmes are already up and running in Ballymun, Darndale and Cherry Orchard.

Career path

Ms Tallant said the use of children by Irish drug gangs has become “hugely extensive”.

“They’re being lured by the money and runners,” she said.

“They are seeing entry into a drug gang as a career path and unfortunately that is a fact for a lot of kids living in marginalised areas.

“Across Europe, not just here in Ireland, they are calling it ‘radicalisation’ of children instead of grooming – it’s a more suitable word.”

Goals

Ms Tallant said the goal now is to “steer children away” from crime in the first instance.

“Even those that don’t become major players in gang crime, they can end up entering the criminal justice system,” she said.

“If they’ve gone to jail or been convicted – that will stay with them for life.

“They are marked and branded with that unnecessarily.”

Family gangs

Ms Tallant said the issue is a "complex" one to resolve.

“There are some people who would be brought into drug gangs by their family; it can be a family business,” she said.

“That career path can be laid out for them as soon as they are born.

“Others are brought in and very quickly they are leaned on as a breadwinner for the family – you’ll see parents and grandparents feeding off their earnings.”

Former Mountjoy Governor John Lonergan pictured in studio today. Image: Newstalk

Former Mountjoy Prison governor John Lonergan said some young people get involved in crime as they “get a kick out of it”.

“The risk that’s involved - like blackmailing and bullying people - there is a sense of buzz and power to that,” he said.

“Part of the gangland feud thing is more about control and people saying ‘look at me, I’m the more powerful person’ – rather than just the money involved.

“Young children being brought into crime – there’s no question about it - are going to end up with serious criminal convictions.

“They are going to end up seriously addicted to drugs and many will have a very short life span.”

Criminologist Trina O'Connor pictured in studio today. Image: Newstalk

Criminologist Trina O'Connor said “supporting whole families” is needed to stop children from joining gangs.

“We know what the predictors are for young people to get involved and one of those predictors is being a part of a family with inter-generational criminality," she said.

“It may also be that some families have an acceptance of crime at certain levels.

“An acceptance of shoplifting in teenagers could quickly escalate in today’s climate.”

Ms O’Connor said psychological supports, better housing and an emphasis on schooling are all needed to deter children from crime.

Main image: Youths at the scene of a gangland shooting in Tallaght, 2012. Image: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Main image: A young man holding a knife. Image: SFL Life Style / Alamy Stock Photo