The former 30-year policeman works with an international program which seeks to engage communities to take a holistic approach by going directly to the source of the problem and taking a community stand by working together.

But he suffered first-hand crime himself when colleague Dr Ned Iceton had his car broken into at a local motel.

"My colleague's car was broken into and cash, property taken," Mr O'Connell said.

"Our first response to this was positive which might sound strange. We have proof of the problem and it has made us more determined to help."

Police say they are investigating and it was the first steal from a motor vehicle at a motel in Wellington in a long period.

It will be alleged two youths broke into the car, stole a briefcase with money and other property, ran off and then dispensed with the case and took part of the belongings.

Mr O'Connell said incidents like this happen, young people's parents didn't know to handle their own children's circumstances and there was a positive way to help.

"Part of the message we are sharing is to look at youth problems from a symptoms point of view," he said.

"Ask what happens in a community how it manifests and what can we change.

"We need to engage the stakeholders, begin a conversation, not simply concentrate on blame and punishment but discover the past and try together to repair the problem."

Mr O'Connell, who was brought to Wellington by the local business chamber, says bringing young people together with families and victims, along with their relationships with the community, can cut through.

He says there is anecdotal evidence of this with the program working in South Australia and also in the United States of America.

"In the United States a single mother with five children admitted she was acutely embarrassed about her children's behaviour," he said.

"She actually engaged with the community and her children and in a shared meeting the children didn't even realise what they were doing wrong and how it hurt their mother and others around them. Now there's a major change in that family.

"Now the neighbours are pitching in and helping there. Its proof engagement can bring change."

Mr O'Connell told the Early Learning Community in Wellington and the local Crime Prevention committee a program called www.realjustice.org asked the big questions.

"When things go wrong you must ask 'what happened, what were you thinking at the time, what have you thought about since, who has been affected by what you have done and in what way, what do you think need to do to make things right'," he said.

"When someone has been hurt 'what did you think when you realised what happened, what impact has this incident had on you and others, what has been the hardest thing for you, Why do you think needs to happen to make it right?'"

Mr O'Connell says he hopes to return to talk with schools and other sectors of the community.

Wellington Business Chamber president Ian Law said Mr O'Connell has a positive message for Wellington and he said his group would be working with him to take the concept further