NICRO bases our work on the socio-ecological model, which sees people as being embedded in relationships, families, communities and society. Our interventions and servces are based on this integrated approach -  we work with individual, familes, and communities. 

NICRO’s aim is to prevent crime and violence and build safe communities. To achieve this aim, requires that we understand the factors that influence crime and violence.

The socio-ecological model illustrates the complex interplay of factors. The 4 different levels represent the range of factors that put people at risk of committing or experiencing crime and violence. The overlapping of levels shows the mutual influence and impact that levels have on each other.

There is no direct - or simple - cause–effect relationship for crime and violence. Instead, the model suggests that in order to prevent crime and violence, it is necessary to act across multiple levels of the model at the same time.