IT can be instructive to listen to the differing views of gardai who have policed the State's most crime infested areas for many years.
Some throw up their hands in despair, blaming successive governments for failing to ensure the fruits of economic success are shared equally by the public. "Sure, the people here have nothing," they say.
The more embittered view all offenders as "gougers" who should be locked up for as long as possible.
Yesterday, the Progressive Democrats set out their stall at the gouger end of the market.
The party's crime policy document, published yesterday, emphasises a "get tough" approach to law enforcement, with any concerns about the causes of crime considered secondary to stricter laws and safer streets.
The thrust of the document is summarised by its statement that "compassion for the victims of the drugs epidemic must not get in the way of our efforts to ruthlessly eradicate the narcotics business from this country".
In many respects, this echoes the policies of Fianna Fail, the PDs most likely partner in any new coalition government. But it lacks the broader attempt to understand and rectify the causes of crime and drug abuse by Fianna Fail in its most recently published, and more substantial, paper on the subject.
"We're not writing a history of the world here," Mr Michael McDowell said, holding up his party's slim document yesterday. Plans to tackle the causes of crime were covered by the party's economic policies, he added.
The PDs favour "zero tolerance" policing, a notion already supported by Fianna Fail but not favoured by the Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, or other senior members of the force.
Mr McDowell said it did not mean locking up every offender but that the authorities would "have a response" to any offence. He volunteered the example of a child begging on O'Connell Street. Under the PD programme, the child's parents would be required to explain why their child was begging.
Perhaps surprisingly, the PDs say there would be no need for extra gardai were zero tolerance enforced. Nor did they envisage significant extra cost associated with the programme. The PDs offer 1,500 new prison spaces to bring the prison population up to about 3,500, or 500 above the Government's target.
According to the party, private construction companies are ready and able to build new prisons and could complete them with the speed they have built hotels around Dublin.
"Prison does work," Mr McDowell said, echoing the former British home secretary, Mr Michael Howard. "It's the absence of prison at, the moment that doesn't work."
The party proposes "one custodial drug detention centre for addicted offenders" for "as many offending addicts as there are".
Prisoners in other jails would be randomly tested for drug use and physical contact in prison visiting areas would stop in order to curb drug smuggling.
The party does, however, suggest improving treatment facilities for drug offenders.
There are worthwhile policies in other areas. Under the PDs, for example, the victims of sexual offences would also have legal representation in court, rather than be treated as "witnesses" - a policy which concurs with that of victim support groups.