April

2005
The Team at the Crime Reduction Centre wishes you all the best for the future
 Digest
Information
As you may know, the Home Office has decided to close the Crime
Reduction Centre(CRC) at Easingwold. The Home Office statement about
the closure of CRC can be found on page 4, but this decision means that
this edition of the Digest will be the last in its current form.

As Editor of the Digest I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone
who has contributed over the years and helped to make it so successful. I
would also like to thank all our readers for their interest, help and
support, and on behalf of the whole team here at CRC we send you all
our very best wishes for the future.

Jane Jones
Digest Editor
Information Services Team
Home Office Crime Reduction Centre, The Hawkhills, Easingwold, York YO61 3EG
Tel: 01347 825060 Fax: 01347 825099 E-mail: crc@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Centre Staff

Director’s Office Training Resource Solutions Learning & Development

Steve Trimmins Martin Jones Team
Ann Keen Simon Jones David Fernley
Michael Hawtin Gill Archibald
Centre Support Bob Sanders June Armstrong
Liz Walton Janet Caton
Pam Foster Information Services Dee Cooley
Adrienne Jowitt-Thrall Jane Carpenter Martin Fenlon
Mark Ledder Stuart Charman Jason Roach
Ruth Whitaker Gary Ingham Kim Sutton
Jane Jones
Kathleen Noble Editor
Richard Wales Jane Jones
Dianne Waudby Design/Production
Michael Hawtin

For Training or General Enquiries:

Tel: 01347 825060

Note:
The inclusion of material in the Digest or reference to any products/services does not
signify that they have been tested or evaluated. Nor should inclusion be thought to confer
‘official’ approval.
You can reproduce material from this Digest, but we ask that you reference CRC and the
originating organisation as the source, do not use the information out of context and
that there are no charges connected with the reproduction of the material.

April 2005 1
Contents News 4
The Crime Reduction Centre closure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Crime Reduction Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Centre News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Crime Reduction Centre work with Easingwold School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
‘Your Business – Keep Crime Out of It’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Ideas and Initiatives 7

Blackburn Rovers help with new safety drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Operation Trojan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
'Missing' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Crime Awareness Van . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
"While The Cat's Away, the Mice Will Play" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Operation Safer Nights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Stopcrime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Vehicle Safety Awareness Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Operation Fahrenheit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Safer Homes Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Community Safety Activity Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Anti-Social Behaviour Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Safer Travel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Student Safety Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Bus Crime Hotline – Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Partnership Working 14
Neighbourhood Watch by E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
‘Shop Cops’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
‘SAFE’ Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
‘A Distracting Moment’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Safer Middlesbrough Partnership Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Community Driving School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
The 'Lion's Breath' Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Inclusive Model of Partnership Against Car Theft (IMPACT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
The Dyn Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Show Racism the Red Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Trading Standards and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) - A new role
for Associate Trainers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Doorstep Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Seeking your views? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Raid-control – a proactive approach to reducing robbery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Secured by Design - Inherent in City Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
What Car 2005 Best Vehicle Security Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Any views expressed in this

publication are those of the
authors and may not
necessarily reflect Home Office
or Government policy.

2 Contents April 2005

Publications and Publicity 23
Tackling crimes against small businesses: Lessons from the Small Retailers in Deprived
Areas initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Problem-solving street crime: practical lessons from the Street Crime Initiative . . . . .24
Neighbourhood Watch: What’s it all about? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
VALIDATEUK Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Security Without the Spikes? A Practical Resource Pack for Crime Prevention in the
Public Realm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Positive Activities for Young People: A Review of 2003 – 04 West Midlands Region . .26
Tackling Domestic Violence: providing support for children who have
witnessed domestic violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Trickster in a Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Training Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Sex Crime: Sex Offending and Society – Second Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Sex Offenders in the Community: Managing and reducing the risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Breaking Down the Barriers Conference 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
A guide to alleygating in Salford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Reducing Vehicle Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
New Fraud Mini-site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
A guide to Ultra Violet Security Markings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Awareness Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Secured by Design Discussion Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Research 33
The future of netcrime now: Part 1 - threats and challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
The future of netcrime now: Part 2 - responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Domestic violence and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships:
findings from a self-completion questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Each article in the Digest
University student safety in the East Midlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 is highlighted with an
Crime against retail and manufacturing premises: findings from the icon which defines
2002 Commercial Victimisation Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 the product described in
Business Crime in the West Midlands Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 that article. They are:
Underage ‘risky’ drinking: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Motivations and outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Campaign/
Offending in England and Wales: first results from the 2003
Initiative
Crime and Justice Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Young people, crime and anti-social behaviour:
findings from the 2003 Crime and Justice Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Publication
The victimisation of young people: findings from the Crime
and Justice Survey 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Children, risk and crime: the On Track Youth Lifestyles Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Video
Rapid assessment of powers to close 'crack houses' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Investing to deliver: reviewing the implementation of the
UK Crime Reduction Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Motor Salvage Operators Regulations (MSOR) 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Website/
The Reducing Burglary Initiative: design, development and delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Electronic
Information

General/
Exchange
of Ideas/
Conferences

April 2005 Contents 3

News The Crime Reduction Centre closure
The Home Office Crime Reduction Centre (CRC) is to close.
An independent review of CRC was carried out in the Autumn of 2004. It recommended
that the direct training and learning services which the Centre has been providing for
community safety practitioners should be discontinued, on the grounds that these services
were not well enough resourced to have made a significant impact. The Home Office has
accepted this recommendation, and has concluded that, without a training function, the
facility at Easingwold would be too small to be a viable outpost remote from the rest of the
Home Office business in London. The site will therefore close by September 2005.
Apart from training, CRC also provides the following services:
• a free crime reduction enquiry service for practitioners
• an extensive library of crime reduction material
• the Digest - a free quarterly journal for crime reduction practitioners
• the Crime Reduction Website (www.crimereduction.gov.uk), the Government’s primary
on-line resource for people working to reduce crime in their area
• development of new arrangements for the capture and dissemination of crime reduction
knowledge to support crime reduction practitioners (Improving Performance through
Applied Knowledge IPAK).

The review recommended that these services should be retained. The Home Office is now
examining the feasibility of this recommendation in the light of the decision to close the
Easingwold facility. The working assumption is that if any of these residual CRC functions are
retained, they will be based in London along with the rest of the Home Office team. It has
recently been decided that the Crime Reduction Website will continue. A decision on the
other functions is expected shortly.
Simultaneously, a decision will be made on whether to accept the final recommendation
of the review – that some of the money saved by closing down the training operation should
be redeployed to help improve the delivery of a limited number of under-performing crime
reduction partnerships in higher crime areas.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Why are you closing CRC?

The Crime Reduction Centre’s primary role in recent years has been to provide direct and
distance training services to people working in community safety partnerships. An
independent review by PA Consulting concluded that the training resources available at CRC
were far too small to have any real impact, and we have therefore concluded that training
provision should cease. This would leave us with an outpost so small as to be unviable as a
separate operation 200 miles away from the rest of the Home Office.

Q. How does the closure of CRC affect policing?

CRC is not responsible for the training of police officers. The Centre’s work concentrates on
the learning and information needs of community safety practitioners and crime & disorder
reduction partnerships and its closure will have no direct impact on policing or on the
efficiency of police forces.

Q. How will training for practitioners and partnerships be provided in future?

We are considering the review’s recommendation that the Home Office should target some of
the savings realised as a result of ceasing training activity onto the provision of direct support
to partnerships in higher crime areas. This would allow us to have more impact with the
limited sums available, but the benefits of this idea need to be weighed against overall Home
Office business priorities. That exercise is currently under way. More generally, we aim to
work with the Justice Sector Skills Council to ensure that there are national standards for
community safety training, which employing organisations can use as part of their normal
approach to workforce development.

4 News April 2005

Q. How will the loss of CRC affect our ability to fight crime?
The closure of the CRC site at Easingwold will not directly affect our ability to fight crime.
Even operating at peak capacity, CRC’s training courses could only reach around 1% of the
community safety workforce each year, so the decision to discontinue these courses will have
minimal impact. Options for the future of other CRC services are currently being considered
as part of the follow up to the review. The only decision that has been made on these is that,
if they are retained, they will need to be located with the rest of the Home Office Crime
Reduction Directorate (in London).

Q. Why not put more money into training, rather than ceasing it altogether?
Investing more resource in direct training is not an option given pressures on Home Office
budgets as a whole. We have concluded that it is not sensible to try to meet the national
training requirement with such a small resource

Q. What about CRC’s other functions such as the Crime Reduction Website?
The Crime Reduction Website - to take one example - is a major success; it has won awards
and is very well regarded by its target audience. The review recommended that these services
should continue, and we are now looking closely at the options in the light of the decision to
close the Easingwold site itself.

Q. How is this decision consistent with Government commitments to move more

jobs out of London?
The Government remains committed to the principle that more Civil Service jobs should be
based in the regions. That commitment has to be balanced against the need to ensure that If you have any comments or
Government business as a whole is delivered with one eye firmly on value for money. In this views about the closure of CRC
case it is hard to see how the taxpayers’ interest would be served by retaining a tiny outpost please e-mail: crc-closure@
so remote from the rest of the organisation of which it is a part. crimereduction.gov.uk

Crime Reduction Website

The Crime Reduction Website
(www.crimereduction.gov.uk) received Mini-Sites
its 100 millionth 'hit' in February. Many Two new mini-sites were launched in
thanks to everyone who uses the site for February:
helping to make it such a success. • The Fraud Mini-site
(www.crimereduction.gov.uk/fraud)
Home Office Publicity Catalogue contains information for practitioners,
A new and revised version of the on-line businesses and the public on how to For more information contact
Home Office Publicity Catalogue is now reduce the chances of becoming a Stuart Charman
available on the Crime Reduction Website victim of fraud and dealing with the Tel: 01347 825064
(www.crimreduction.gov.uk). impact of this particular crime. E-mail: stuart.charman@
Practitioners can browse through the • The IPAK Mini-site homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
catalogue and order copies of literature (www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ipak) or Richard Wales
available from the Home Office. Leaflets, contains information about the Home Tel: 01347 825185
booklets, stickers and associated materials Office's ‘Improving Performance E-mail: richard.wales@
are available free for use in local campaigns. through Applied Knowledge’ (IPAK) homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Members of the public can also use the project. IPAK uses the principles of Crime Reduction Centre,
catalogue to view and download material, knowledge management and collates The Hawkhills, Easingwold,
however they are unable to order paper them into a more structured context. York YO61 3EG
copies. Website:
www.crimereduction.
gov.uk

April 2005 News 5

 Centre News
Congratulations to Stuart Charman, the Crime Reduction Website Manager and his wife
Sheonaidh on the birth of their baby boy - Jed Duncan, who was born on 18th January.

Crime Reduction Centre work with

Easingwold School
The Crime Reduction Centre (CRC) has recently worked with a local school to help raise
awareness of crime reduction.
Members of the Centre Support Team visited the primary school to talk to the children
during their assembly about the work of the CRC and to raise their awareness of crime
reduction. They discussed how the children could help in reducing crime and encouraged
them to take part in some interactive role-playing in a fun, lively way. Books were provided
for the younger children, together with posters, balloons and badges. The children were also
invited to design posters with a crime reduction theme, which was taken on by the school as
a home-based project. The children’s response was extremely encouraging and they produced
some excellent posters.
For more information The front cover of this Digest shows just one of the posters produced. The top 5 will be
contact Dianne Waudby, enlarged and framed for display around the school and will also be on show around CRC. The
Crime Reduction Centre, Crime Reduction Website will feature additional information and examples of the posters. All
The Hawkhills, Easingwold, the children who designed a poster will receive a certificate from CRC and a donation will be
York YO61 3EG provided for the school to buy books for their newly refurbished library.
Tel: 01347 825058 This has been an extremely successful way of raising awareness of crime reduction
E-mail: dianne.waudby@ among the children, showing them what they can do to help to prevent crime in their area,
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk as well as helping to encourage a great community spirit.

Your Business – Keep Crime Out of It’

Crime Reduction Centre

The Crime Reduction Centre launched a
new publication entitled ‘Your Business –
Keep Crime Out of It’ in March.
The publication provides simple crime
reduction advice and is aimed at those
working in small and medium sized
businesses as well as people within
Crime and Disorder Reduction
Partnerships responsible for
advising business on crime
reduction.
The booklet has been
produced by the Home Office, in
consultation with the Association of
Convenience Stores (Chair of the Advice
and Information Working Group), the
Association of British Insurers, ACPO-
Secured by Design, the National Federation
of Retail Newsagents, the Rural Shops
Alliance, the Small Business Council, the
Asian Trader, the British Chambers of
Commerce and the Government Office for
London. It covers:
• How to undertake a physical survey
of a business.
• The key things to consider in
relation to staff and customers.
• The types of processes that can
be put in place in order to reduce
the risk of crime.
• A comprehensive list of further
contacts and checklists.
The book can be downloaded from the
Crime Reduction Website:
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/
yourbusiness
Copies of this booklet are available free from:
Prolog, Sherwood Park, Annesley,
Nottingham NG15 0DJ Tel: 0870 241 4680
E-mail: homeoffice@prolog.uk.com
Quote reference: 3/05 YB1

6 News April 2005


Blackburn Rovers help with new
safety drive
Blackburn with Darwen Community Safety Partnership and Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn with Darwen Community Safety
Partnership and Blackburn Rovers Football
Club have set up an initiative designed to
teach local children important safety
messages combined with the fun pass-time
of collecting cards.
The campaign, which has been
supported financially by the Neighbour-
hood Renewal Fund, encourages children
to collect stickers of their favourite Rovers’
football players to complete a book, which
also contains various community safety
messages on each page. The messages cover
different community concerns including
anti-social behaviour, fire safety, domestic
abuse, racist and hate crime, road safety,
substance misuse and
graffiti. Stickers are
released throughout
the football season
and the club also
holds special ‘swapsie’
days to enable the
children to swap stickers
with their friends and fill
their books. 8,000 sticker
Operation Trojan
West Midlands Police
Operation Trojan was launched earlier this
year with the aim of addressing the rise in
the number of robberies traditionally
committed on school age children in
January.
Young robbery offenders have designed
4 hard-hitting posters that warn young
people not to become a robbery victim or
an offender. The posters have been designed
by a group of 8 robbery offenders aged
12-16 as part of the young offenders’ work
on the Intensive Supervision and
Surveillance Programme (ISSP). ISSP, which
can be used instead of a custodial sentence,
is a strict and closely monitored regime,
consisting of 40 hours a week intensive
supervision by the Youth Offending Service.
The young offenders were asked to focus
on what message they would give to their
April 2005
I d e a s a n d I n i t i a t i ve s
books and stickers, designed by a
local company 'FANATIC', have
been distributed to schools in the
region and stickers are available
from the area community office or
via local community beat
managers and police support
officers.
It is hoped that the campaign
will not only provide children with
information they may need in the
future, but will also enhance
relationships between young people
and the police.
For more information contact
Colin Dassow, Partnership
Officer, Blackburn with Darwen
Community Safety Partnership,
Community Safety Team,
3rd Floor, Old Town Hall,
Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 7DY
Tel: 01254 585358
Fax: 01254 584930
E-mail: colin.dassow@blackburn.gov.uk
peers about how to prevent becoming a
robbery victim and how they would
encourage others not to fall into
committing robbery.
4 messages were then given to a media
company and worked up as professional
quality posters, which have been
distributed to schools, youth clubs and
children's homes in the area.
The key messages include:
• Don't make yourself a robbery target. For more information
• Call Crimestoppers anonymously with contact Supt Neil James,
information on robbery, anti-social Operations Manager,
behaviour, drugs and weapons. West Midlands Police E3 OCU,
• Your future is your choice - but a life Belgrave Road, Edgbaston,
of crime is a miserable existence. Birmingham B5 7BP
• Time passes slowly on the inside - last Tel: 0121 626 7134
year 2,800 young people were placed E-mail: neil.james@
in custody in England and Wales. west-midlands.pnn.police.uk
Ideas and Initiatives 7
 'Missing'
West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police have successfully trialled a computer game in a Coventry school, with
the aim of tackling child Internet safety.
The computer game, which was initially designed in 2000 by a Canadian police officer,
includes an accompanying 'Missing' kit and was invented to address the dramatic increase in
the numbers of children lured by on-line predators. The idea behind the game is to show
young people the dangers of meeting strangers via Internet chat rooms and to remind them
of the difficulties often involved in tracing children who run away to meet on-line predators.
The game invites the young people to take on the role of a police officer to solve the
disappearance of Zack, a 14 year old boy who is lured away by a man he meets in an Internet
chat room. While playing the game, the children discover the mistakes Zack makes and why
he falls for the predator's tactics. It also shows how he and his parents could have dealt with
Internet chat rooms more safely.
Through discussions with young people, some guidelines have been established
including:
• Always discuss with adults who you are talking to.
• Raise any concerns about the content of an Internet 'chat' with an adult.
• Never disclose your true identity.
• Don't give out information that would identify your school or home address.
• Never send a photograph of yourself on-line.

Following the success of the trial in Coventry, the programme will be extended across
the city and it is hoped that funding from Coventry City Football Club's 'Coaching for
Communities' project will enable copies of the 'Missing' kit to be distributed to every school
in the area.

For more information contact Sgt Samantha Cotton, West Midlands Police, Chace Avenue Police Station,
Chace Avenue, Coventry CV3 3PS Tel: 0845 113 5000 Ext 7934 6961.

Crime Awareness Van

Greater Manchester Police

Greater Manchester Police are working in partnership with local company, Advantage, to
promote crime awareness advice to members of the public.
The initiative uses a unique vehicle with three screens, 2 situated on each side of the
van, which can move and include sound, and one static sign on the rear. The van is being
used to provide crime awareness advice about street crime and robbery and targets specific
hotspots identified previously by the
police. Messages are interchangeable,
depending on current crime issues in the
area.

For more information contact

PC Stuart Pizzey MBE,
Crime Reduction Adviser,
Greater Manchester Police,
Bootle Street Police Station,
Manchester M2 5GU
Tel: 0161 856 3046
E-mail: stuart.pizzey@gmp.police.uk

8 Ideas and Initiatives April 2005

 "While The Cat's Away, the Mice Will Play"
Safe Communities East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Safe Communities East Riding launched parks and at supermarkets with their Crime
their Christmas campaign on 1 December Prevention Bus and Goole Crime Prevention
2004 with the theme “While The Cat’s Panel arranged the circulation of cards in
Away, The Mice Will Play”. the “Goole Courier”. HANWAG reported
The campaign, which was devised and that the postcards proved particularly
funded by Safe Communities East Riding, popular in rural villages during the run up
uses a child’s drawing featuring a cat to Christmas.
having its home and car broken into by
mice. Over 2000 A3 posters and 30,000
postcard flyers were created and distributed
by 11 local police teams within the East
Riding of Yorkshire. Campaign materials
were also circulated to local Crime
Prevention Panels, HANWAG (Humberside
Association of Neighbourhood Watch
Groups), Bridwatch (the Neighbourhood
Watch organisation for Bridlington) and
County Council outlets, including libraries,
leisure centres, customer service centres
and schools. 50 adverts for the back of
buses were also arranged in partnership
with a local bus company. Since the start of the campaign,
The campaign received excellent local statistics have shown a dramatic decrease in
press coverage and also featured on the BBC theft from motor vehicle offences, from
Look North programme in December. 209 in December 2003 to 152 in December
Feedback on the posters and cards has 2004.
proved extremely positive. The Bridlington
Cop Shop circulated over 150 posters For more information contact Sgt Peter Rogers,
throughout the town and Bridwatch Safe Communities East Riding of Yorkshire
handed out 3,000 flyers to their members Council, County Hall, Beverley,
with their Christmas newsletter. The East Riding of Yorkshire HU17 9BA
Haltemprice Crime Prevention Panel used Tel: 01482 887700 Ext 1012
the cards during weekend events in car E-mail: peter.rogers@eastriding.gov.uk

Operation Safer Nights

West Midlands Police

Operation Safer Nights is the latest addition to the existing crime campaigns set up by West
Midlands Police, which include Safer Streets, Safer Homes and Safer Motors.
This new campaign features an interactive website (www.west-midlands.police.uk/
safernights) aimed at tackling alcohol-related violence and disorder. The website provides
the latest news about what the force is doing to tackle binge drinking, as well as offering
advice on keeping safe while out and about. People using the site can look up the force's
strategic plans to reduce drunkenness and prevent alcohol-related violence, legislative facts
and figures and links to other useful sites. Visitors are also given the opportunity to make
their own record using a simple on-line DJ mixer and there is a quiz, which focuses on
people enjoying a safe night out.

For more information contact Chief Supt Gareth Cann, West Midlands Police, Wolverhampton West
Operational Command Unit, Bilston Street, Wolverhampton WV1 3AA
Tel: 0845 113 5000 E-mail: wolverhampton-west@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk

April 2005 Ideas and Initiatives 9

 Stopcrime
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

South and West Devon Police have been
involved in a new campaign that aims to
detect and reduce crime in the area.
For more information contact The Stopcrime initiative, which has
Supt Andy Clarke, Devon and been set up with funding from Safer
Cornwall Constabulary, Communities Torquay, uses a computer
Paignton Police Station, PO system that lets officers send appeals for
Box 1, Torquay TQ3 2SP information about recent and ongoing
Tel: 01803 841356 crimes to members of the public via text
E-mail: andrew.clarke@ messages. People signing up to the scheme
devonandcornwall. receive free alerts on their mobile phones
pnn.police.uk and e-mail accounts, enabling them to send
in any vital information. Returned messages
are received on a central computer based at
Paignton Police Station, thought to be the
first of its kind in the country, which
advises officers to new intelligence that can
be acted on immediately. The system also
stores information for future disclosure.
Posters publicising the campaign have
been displayed in shops and businesses
throughout the area and leaflets have been
issued locally to enable people to subscribe
to the scheme.

Vehicle Safety Awareness Drive

West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police set up the Safer Motors Team in July 2003 with the aim of
reducing vehicle-related thefts in the region. The team launched their vehicle safety
awareness drive in January this year to show car owners the different ways in which
thieves can steal cars.
As technology has improved, with better locking devices and sophisticated alarm
systems, stealing cars has become much more difficult, but this has not reduced their
appeal. Today though, thieves often need to obtain the owner’s keys before they can steal
the car. This has made it more of an opportunistic crime and car owners need to be more
vigilant. Following a number of car-jacking incidents in the area, the police have targeted
the owners of high performance vehicles and sent out letters offering advice on keeping
vehicles safe and what to do in the event of being carjacked. They have also set up a poster
campaign, warning people of the threat of opportunistic thefts. Advice includes:
• If you are bumped in a suspicious way, do not leave your car. Lock the doors and
windows and drive to the nearest police station.
• Never leave the keys in the ignition when leaving your car, for example when paying for
petrol or obtaining a ticket to park.
• Be alert when you are outside - consider who is around you and where your keys are.
• Don't have your keys on view when going to the bank or paying for petrol.
• Be aware of other cars around you. Never stop too near the car in front.
• Before getting out of your car, check your surroundings. If you feel uneasy do not park.
• When at home at night, make sure car keys cannot be seen. However try not to keep keys
in the bedroom.
• If you have a garage, always make sure the car is parked in it overnight.
For more information contact • Install a good home security system.You've made a huge investment - protect it.
Insp Alison Barton, West • Invest in a tracking device so if your car is stolen it stands a better chance of
Midlands Police, being traced.
Safer Motors Team, • Different circumstances will mean different reactions, but do not put yourself in
Solihull North Police Station, danger - trust your instincts.
Ceolmund Crescent,
Chelmsley Wood, The Safer Motors Team has been extremely successful in raising public awareness and
Birmingham B37 5UB combating car theft. Car crime is down in the region by 24% compared to the same time the
Tel: 0845 113 5000 previous year.

10 Ideas and Initiatives April 2005

 Operation Fahrenheit
Thames Valley Police

Operation Fahrenheit was developed in
September 2004 in response to over 50
burglaries committed in rural parts of West
Berkshire.
The main target of the burglaries
appeared to be jewellery, with an estimated
value in excess of £250,000. The impact on
the rural community was immense and fear
of crime in the area soared. There was little
evidence to identify the offender and with
no reduction in offences, the Crime
Reduction Unit set up Operation
Fahrenheit. The unit secured funding and
sponsorship from Vodafone UK to buy over
800 ‘Smartwater’ kits, which were
distributed by Parish Councils to local
residents and victims of burglary. They also
purchased 60 highly visible Tri-signs; 3-
sided signs displaying various warning
messages and a police contact number as
well as 10 large freestanding 'Police
Operation in this Area' signs, which were
set up in various locations. The initiative
received excellent media coverage and
includes a burglary reconstruction, which
was shown on both ITV and BBC local
news. The mobile police station travelled to
outlying villages offering the public crime
prevention advice and reassurance.
Following its launch, there has been a
42% reduction in all dwelling burglary and
a 60% reduction in targeted areas, as
well as a 49% reduction in burglary
non-dwelling in the target areas. These
reductions have been sustained for 5
months since the operation began and
there have been no further burglaries.
However, other neighbourhoods continue
to be targeted and it is hoped that this
initiative will also help to reduce crimes in
these areas.
Due to the success of Operation
Fahrenheit, local antiques and second-hand
jewellery shops will also receive
Smartwater readers to enable them to Editor’s Note: Property
protect their valuables. marking schemes should
adhere to the Association of
For more information contact Chief Police Officer
Ruth Hemingway, Thames Valley Police, (ACPO)/Home Office
Crime Reduction Unit, Newbury Police Station, principles of property
Mill Lane, Newbury, marking. Details of these are
Berkshire RG14 5QU published on the Crime
Tel: 01635 264 624 Reduction Website:
E-mail: Ruth.Hemingway@ www.crimereduction.
thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk gov.uk/property01.htm

Safer Homes Checklist

West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police have issued security checklists to students looking for accommodation
to rent while they are at university.
The Safer Homes Checklist is a list of 27 security measures, which are essential to
protect personal property and prevent burglary. The list includes subjects such as window
locks and frames, doorframes and details of alarms. Students are encouraged to
mark off the security aspects already in houses they are considering for rent, to
enable them to make an informed decision on which property to choose. The
police have also been offering free post-coding of students’ personal belongings
at campuses throughout the region.
The checklist is available from student unions and can also be downloaded
from various student union websites. According to statistics, burglary in the
region has reduced by nearly 30% based on the same time last year due to the
Safer Homes initiative.

For more information and copies of the Safer Homes Checklist contact Sgt Emma Thompson or Andy
Grimwade, Student Crime Reduction Co-ordinators, West Midlands Police, Lloyd House,
Colmore Circus, Queensway, Birmingham B4 6NQ
Tel: 0845 113 5000 Ext: 7800 2383
E-mail: studentcrime@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk

April 2005 Ideas and Initiatives 11

 Community Safety Activity Book
Safer Merthyr Tydfil Community Safety Wardens

For more information contact
Rob Cunningham, Community
Safety Warden Supervisor,
Safer Merthyr Tydfil,
Community Safety Advice
Centre, No 2 Talbot Square,
Penydarren,
Merthyr Tydfil CF47 9LP
Tel: 01685 388100
E-mail: wardens@smt.org.uk
Safer Merthyr Tydfil’s Community Safety Wardens Supervisor, Rob Cunningham has been
working in partnership with the Merthyr ‘Art Smart’ initiative (an art resource centre that
also provides some arts training) to design and produce a Community Safety Activity Book.
The books, which have been delivered to schools, nurseries and playgroups in the area
by community safety wardens, contain 14 puzzles, each one featuring a different scenario to
show children how they can keep safe. The last page of the book invites the children to take
part in a competition to draw a picture of their favourite warden and win various prizes
donated by local businesses. Additional sources of advice were also distributed including:
• Fire safety books and colouring sheets with ‘spot the danger’ competitions.
• Local Authority road safety books with tips on road-craft and safe cycling.
• Toothbrushes, toothpaste and leaflets donated by the Oral Hygiene Educator.
• Warden reflective armbands and badges for safe walking at night.
• Calculators, rulers or wallets for the older children, donated by wardens.
• Bars of chocolate donated by a local factory.
• Leaflets and badges inviting parents to join the ‘Safe Child’ scheme.

Anti-Social Behaviour Hotline

London Borough of Havering Council

Residents of Havering are being
encouraged to report anti-social behaviour
and those they believe are responsible for it
on a new confidential 24-hour helpline
For more information contact (01708 779267).
Andrew Golder, Havering Community Safety Partner-
Communications Officer, ship has set up a dedicated phone line
Community Safety Section, where people can tell them about
London Borough of Havering anti-social behaviour, including graffiti,
Council, Town Hall, Main Road, vandalism and underage drinking. They can
Romford RM1 3BD also use the line to inform the partnership
Tel: 01708 434369 who they believe is responsible for
E-mail: andrew.golder@ anti-social behaviour in their area.
havering.gov.uk Residents are discouraged from using
the number to report crimes because the
police do not respond directly to calls made
to the hotline. Any information provided is
added to other intelligence gathered on
anti-social behaviour in the area and used
to decide on the best way of dealing with
particular issues. While the partnership
prefers callers to leave their name and
contact details, this is not necessary and all
reports are investigated. It is hoped that the
line will help to identify increasing
anti-social behaviour trends and also the
small minority of people responsible for
anti-social behaviour in the town.

Safer Travel Operation

West Midlands Police

The Safer Travel Operation aims to cut crime and provide reassurance to people travelling
on public transport.
The police travel on the buses on a daily basis in Birmingham city centre in a bid to
combat low level disorder and anti-social behaviour, which can create a fear of crime and
often leads to more serious incidents of violence and theft. Officers patrol the buses both in
uniform and plain clothes and provide support to the Travel West Midlands Inspectors when
carrying out revenue checks.
Birmingham city centre has seen robbery reduce by a third and there has also been a
33% drop in robbery between April 2004 and January 2005, compared to the same period in
the previous year.

For more information contact PC Nick Dale, Steel House Lane Police Station, Steel House Lane,
Birmingham B4 6NW Tel: 0845 113 5000 Ext: 7861 6664.

12 Ideas and Initiatives April 2005

 Student Safety Schemes
Cardiff Community Safety Partnership

Cardiff Community Safety Partnership has provided funding for several new crime
prevention initiatives at Cardiff University, University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC),
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Cardiff Students Union.
The funding of over £1,000 will
provide 1,500 ultra-violet (UV)
property-marking pens, discounted
cycle locks and 6,500 information
leaflets for first-year 'fresher'
students. It will also help to
develop and maintain a
text-messaging service,
managed by the Students
Union, which has
already registered
over 10,000 students.
The service means that crime
prevention messages can be sent straight to a mobile phone, enabling
the fast and effective distribution of information to students about
problems that may affect them.

For more information contact Mark Smith, Communications Officer,

Cardiff Community Safety Partnership, TASC Office, Cardiff Central Police Station,
King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NN
Tel: 02920 634150
E-mail: marksmith@cardiff.gov.uk

Bus Crime Hotline – Update

Lothian and Borders Police

Following up on the article in the October
2004 Digest on the Bus Crime Hotline,
which aims to reduce vandalism, drug
abuse and anti-social behaviour on buses,
Crimestoppers carried out an audit of their
intelligence after the initiative. They found
that there has been a 109% increase in
actionable intelligence due to the
advertising and distribution of the free
Crimestoppers cards on buses.
Since promoting the scheme, there
have been enquiries from 5 other UK
forces, as well as one from the South
Australian Police and the Toronto Transit
Commission in Canada.
Due to its success, it is hoped that the
scheme will run again this summer.
For more information contact Martin White,
Public Transport Liaison Officer, Lothian and
Borders Police, West End Police Station,
Torphichen Place, Edinburgh EH3 8DY
Tel: 0131 221 2112
Fax: 0131 221 2060
E-mail: martin.white@lbp.pnn.police.uk

April 2005 Ideas and Initiatives 13

Pa r t n e r s h i p Wo r k i n g
14
Neighbourhood Watch by E-mail
Sussex Neighbourhood Watch/Sussex Police
Neighbourhood Watch by E-mail was
started in 2001 by Mike Lewis, Chairman
of the Neighbourhood Watch by E-mail
Steering Group for Hastings and Rother.
The scheme, which is also supported
by Sussex Police, is free to anyone on-line
at home or work. To join, people send an
e-mail directly to a dedicated Sussex Police
e-mail address, which enables them to start
receiving messages immediately. The idea
complements traditional Neighbourhood
Watch schemes and has encouraged the
development of new groups in other areas.
It revolutionises information flow for those
on-line and provides
new intelligence for
Sussex Police, as well as
a much needed boost
to crime prevention
and community safety
in the area.
Over 3000 homes
are currently on-line
and the scheme
continues to grow, as
members print off
messages and forward
them to those not
on-line. A network of
local volunteers cascades
messages to others and nearly 40% of
homes are registered with the scheme in
‘Shop Cops’
West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police launched ‘Shop
Cops’ in Birmingham city centre earlier
this year as part of the ShopWatch scheme,
which was originally launched by the
Metropolitan Police and Dixons Group in
February. The scheme is an important new
initiative, which brings together the police,
government and the retail industry in the
fight against street and store crime.
As part of the Shop Cops initiative,
shop staff volunteer to be trained as special
constables, working alongside security
officers to undertake weekly patrols during
their normal working hours. The special
‘shop cops’ will also work in the shopping
Partnership Working
some of the outlying villages. The scheme
has a steering group, with representatives
from Sussex Police, Rother Crime and
Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP),
the Safer Hastings Partnership and Sussex
Neighbourhood Watch Federation. Crime
messages, containing a crime reference
number and contact details for more
information are issued daily from a central
e-mail co-ordinator based in Sussex Police,
together with crime prevention
information. In addition, the Crime-
stoppers number, Trading Standards and
Anti-social Behaviour Order (ASBO)
helpline are also included and messages are
issued from East Sussex Fire and Rescue,
Trading Standards and voluntary groups.
The scheme features on the new Safer
Hastings TV system, which is broadcast at
key points in the town and it was also
recently presented to the Home Secretary
when he visited the region. It is hoped that
due to its success, the scheme will be rolled
out to other areas in the near future.
For more information contact Mike Lewis,
Chairman of the Neighbourhood Watch
by E-mail Steering Group for
Hastings and Rother,
Tel: 01580 831747
E-mail: nhw@whsx04.clara.co.uk
malls when they are ‘off-duty’, giving an
additional level of security and reassurance
to shoppers.
It is hoped that the visible presence of
special constables will deter thieves and
discourage anti-social behaviour, while at
the same time providing customers with a
secure shopping environment.
For more information contact Darren Yates,
Specials Recruitment Co-ordinator, (Birmingham
Central - F1 OCU), Steelhouse Lane Police
Station, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6NW
Tel: 0121 626 6122
E-mail: d.j.yates@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk
April 2005
 ‘SAFE’ Week
London Borough of Havering Council

Havering Community Safety Partnership has taken part in a major new Home Office
campaign designed to keep school children safe from robbery.
‘SAFE’ week was held in January, the peak month of the year for street crime as thieves
take advantage of the dark nights, as well as targeting victims with new Christmas presents.
The initiative has been promoted in schools around Britain and throughout the week, young
people are given important safety advice, including how to safeguard their mobile phones.
Havering Community Safety Partnership worked with local secondary schools during ‘SAFE’
week, to ensure pupils knew how to secure their mobile phones. The partnership highlighted
the most effective way of blocking a mobile phone using the IMEI number, therefore making
it useless to a thief if stolen. Additional advice included:
• Always use your phone's security lock or PIN number.
• Security mark the battery and phone with your postcode and street number or the first
two letters of your house name.
• Register your phone with the service provider.
• When using your phone, remain aware of your surroundings and do not use it in
crowded areas.
• Avoid displaying your phone where it's in public view. Keep it with you at all times and
do not leave it unattended.
• Lost or stolen mobile phones can be blocked even if the SIM card is changed.
Ring 08701 123 123 or contact the relevant network provider with your phone details.

‘Top tips’ for keeping young people ‘SAFE’ are:

• Talking on your mobile phone and wearing MP3 player headphones shows robbers that
you have things worth taking, so don’t flash your valuables, keep them hidden!
• Be aware of your surroundings and remember, a robbery can occur anywhere, from a
crowded environment to a deserted street.
• Think about your route beforehand when travelling, especially if you’re going to be on
your own. Travel with friends if possible.
• Keep your bag zipped up and make sure your wallet or purse can’t be seen.
• Stay aware at bus stops, inside or around train stations and at other transport links and
don’t take your phone out at these places.
• Spread your possessions about – for example, keep your mobile phone separate from
your wallet and money.
• Remember, boys are just as likely to be targeted as girls.

For more information contact Andrew Golder, Communications Officer, Community Safety
Section, London Borough of Havering Council, Town Hall, Main Road, Romford RM1 3BD
Tel: 01708 434369 E-mail: andrew.golder@havering.gov.uk

The Home Office, in consultation with Crimestoppers, the Department for Education and Skills and
teaching representatives, has also designed a ‘SAFE’ educational resource targeted at 11-14 year olds.
Details of how to obtain copies of the pack and for more information about ‘SAFE’ week access the
official ‘SAFE’ website: www.crimestoppers-uk.org/solving/safe

Think about your route beforehand when travelling,

“
especially if you’re going to be on your own. Travel with
friends if possible.
”
April 2005 Partnership Working 15
 ‘A Distracting Moment’
Thames Valley Police

For more information contact
Ruth Hemingway,
Thames Valley Police,
Crime Reduction Unit, Newbury
Police Station, Mill Lane,
Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5QU
Tel: 01635 264 624
E-mail: Ruth.Hemingway@
thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
Thames Valley Police organised a crime
reduction event in December 2004 called
‘A Distracting Moment’ which aimed to
reduce the numbers of potential distraction
burglary victims in the area.
The event was set up to inform the
elderly and vulnerable about the dangers of
distraction burglary in a simple,
entertaining way, while seeking to reduce
their fear of crime. Local school children
also took part, which helped to address the
generation gap and the police worked
closely with them and their teachers to put
together 4 dramatic scenarios. The day was
split into 2 sections, with the morning
session focussing on the types of
distraction burglary or bogus callers,
followed by advice on how to combat
them. The afternoon session looked at how
the elderly could access various services
available to them and included representa-
tives from Help The Aged, Anchor, Age
Concern and the Royal Berkshire Fire &
Rescue Service. Presentations also
highlighted the ‘Stop Chain Check’
message. To heighten the appeal of the
event to its target audience, it included:
• Free transport to and from the event by
local transport companies, with
provision for disabled persons.
• Free refreshments provided by local
supermarkets.
• Free raffle prizes, with sponsorship
from Powergen Staywarm.
The event received extremely good
media coverage, including television and
radio interviews with a victim of
distraction burglary, which resulted in
some excellent feedback to the crime
reduction unit. Over 150 people attended
and the unit received more than 50 ‘thank
you’ calls and letters. The school also
acknowledged the success of the day and
explained that drama pupils had been so
inspired by the whole experience, they
planned to set up a theatre in action group
working in the community.

Safer Middlesbrough Partnership Website

Safer Middlesbrough Partnership

The Safer Middlesbrough Partnership Website (www.safermiddlesbrough.co.uk) was

launched in November 2004 and has so far proved to be a huge success.
Since it began, the website has attracted over 1400 visitors who have provided some
valuable feedback on how it can continue to be developed. The site promotes the work of the
Safer Middlesbrough Partnership and local agencies including Middlesbrough Council
Wardens, Drug Action Team, Youth Offending Service and the Fire Service, whose aims
include tackling crime and the fear of crime in the region.
The website is divided into 7 key areas, including
practical research, evaluation and priorities sections,
which cover issues such as burglary and vehicle crime.
There is also an on-line interactive poll asking users to
express their views about the site, as well as a latest news
section and list of useful contacts. The Safer
Middlesbrough Partnership encourages residents and
stakeholders to log onto the website and register to
receive free, regular crime prevention/reduction
updates.

For more information contact Sue Gungaram, Marketing and Media Co-ordinator, Safer Middlesbrough
Partnership, 2, River Court, Brighouse Road, Riverside Park, Middlesbrough TS2 1RT Tel: 01642 354019
E-mail: sue_gungaram@middlesbrough.gov.uk or visit the website:
www.safermiddlesbrough.co.uk

16 Partnership Working April 2005

 Community Driving School
Chevin Housing Group and West Yorkshire Police

The Community Driving School is a successful partnership between social landlord, The
Chevin Housing Group, West and North Yorkshire Police, local businesses and communities.
It has been funded by the KPMG Foundation, which was established in October 2001 with a
focus on education and social projects for the disadvantaged and under privileged.
The scheme was set up with the aim of encouraging young people between 17 and 25 to
become mobile and learn to drive, while staying out of trouble and increasing their
employment prospects. The scheme also helps to address the growing disaffection that is felt
by many young people in the former mining villages in the area, which are among the top
5% of deprived communities in England and Wales.
Candidates entering the Community Driving School come from a range of backgrounds
and have gone on to full-time employment, training, further education or self-employment.
None of the trainees has broken the law while attending the scheme and all have experienced For more information contact
a boost in self-confidence as well as a huge sense of achievement that passing a driving test Glenn Burton, Chevin Housing
provides. Many of the young people who take part also have caring responsibilities for their Group, Harrison Street,
parents, family members or children and affording driving lessons would normally prove too Wakefield WF1 1PS
expensive. However the costs, which total around £650 each, are covered by contributions Tel: 01924 290949
from driving instructors and grants and the Chevin Housing Group donates administrative E-mail: g.burton@
support. To enter, applicants must first complete a basic form together with a short interview. chevinha.co.uk
Candidates are selected based on who will benefit most from the training. or PC Ian Hanson,
The key to making this initiative work has been the implementation of a simple, cost West Yorkshire Police,
effective idea and the creation of a dedicated steering group of local agencies and residents. Pontefract Police Station,
During the 4 years that the scheme has been in operation, nearly 80 people have been helped Sessions House Yard,
and an 2 additional groups have been established in the surrounding areas. Plans to start a Pontefract WF8 1BN
new scheme in the Chapeltown area of Leeds are currently underway. Tel: 01977 601059.

The 'Lion's Breath' Project

Cardiff Community Safety Partnership

The Cardiff Community Safety Partnership
has launched a pilot project aimed at
making the city centre a safer place at
night.
The 'Lion’s Breath' project, the first of
its kind in the UK, is supported by the
Alcohol Education and Research Council,
Cardiff University, South Wales Police and
Lion Laboratories. A dedicated research
team has begun conducting a series of
night time surveys in the city, which will
hekp to increase understanding of how
people spend their time in Cardiff on
Friday and Saturday nights. The
surroundings will also be monitored, so
factors that might contribute to or detract
from a healthy environment can be
measured.
During the surveys, people are asked at
random to complete a basic questionnaire
about their social activities that particular
night. This may also involve measuring how
much alcohol they have consumed. Those
participating in the survey will remain
anonymous.
It is hoped that the project will help to
achieve a balance between perceptions of
alcohol-related problems and the reality of
socialising in Cardiff.
For more information contact
Mark Smith, Communications
Officer, Cardiff Community Safety
Partnership, TASC Office, Cardiff
Central Police Station, King
Edward VII Avenue,
Cardiff CF10 3NN
Tel: 02920 634150
E-mail: marksmith@cardiff.gov.uk
or visit the website:
www.lions.cf.ac.uk

April 2005 Partnership Working 17

 Inclusive Model of Partnership Against Car
Theft (IMPACT)
Northern Ireland Probation Board

The multi-agency Inclusive Model of repeat offenders. According to an

Partnership Against Car Theft (IMPACT)
project started in 2001 and uses a mix of
prevention, diversion and intervention
work with car thieves.
IMPACT delivers a 4 session education/
prevention programme to school children
aged 10-13 years, diversion activities for
those at risk of becoming involved in this
crime and works intensively with persistent
high risk offenders both in custody and in
For more information the community. The project was led by the
contact Paul Millar, Northern Ireland Probation Board in
Operational Manager, partnership with the Youth Justice Agency,
IMPACT Project, social services, youth service, the police
Sally Gardens Community and the local community and is funded by
Centre, Bell Steel Road, the Northern Ireland Office until March
Belfast BT17 0PB 2006.
Tel: 028 9062 7321 Since its launch, IMPACT has worked
E-mail: theimpactproject@ with over 3,000 young people in schools
btopenworld.com in the greater West Belfast area and 190
evaluation of the scheme just over half of
the young people showed more positive
attitudes after getting involved with the
project.
Since 2001-02, the Northern Ireland
Office has exceeded its target to reduce car
crime by 10%. Unauthorised takings of
vehicles have dropped by 92%; vehicle
thefts fell by 22% while vehicle tampering
went down by 19%. A study on the
effectiveness of the project with previous
offenders is planned and it is hoped that
the project will be mainstreamed at the end
of its current funding period.
IMPACT won an International
Community Justice Award for its public
protection work in 2004 and a Butler Trust
Award for its restorative approach in
working with offenders in 2005.

The Dyn Project

Cardiff Community Safety Partnership

For more information contact
Mark Smith, Communications
Officer, Cardiff Community
Safety Partnership, TASC Office,
Cardiff Central Police Station,
King Edward VII Avenue,
Cardiff CF10 3NN
Tel: 029 20 634150
E-mail: marksmith@
cardiff.gov.uk
The Dyn Project (Dyn translates as ‘man’
in Welsh) was set up in January
by the Cardiff Community
Safety Partnership and
offers a safety planning and
advocacy service for men who
have experienced domestic abuse.
The project, which is supported
by South Wales Police, Cardiff
Community Safety Partnership, Terrence
Higgins Trust and TUC, aims to provide a
‘one-stop-shop’ for men who have been
victims of domestic abuse and works with
heterosexual, gay and bisexual men. It gives
access to a wide range of services either
directly or through joint work with other
agencies and seeks to identify the patterns
of domestic abuse experienced by men to
improve the prospect of early intervention.
There are only a small number of
projects in the UK that offer a service to
men who have been victims of domestic
abuse. The Dyn Project has developed out of
the work of the Cardiff Women’s Safety
Unit (WSU), which is a successful
advocacy and safety planning service that
has operated for over 3 years to help
women who have experienced domestic
abuse. As a result of this work, a need for
services for men was identified. Men
who contact, or who are referred to
the project for advice and support have
access to a confidential service and the
project has developed a pilot assessment
tool, to ensure that men receive appropriate
services and support.
The project works with numerous local
agencies to publicise its services to ensure
it is accessible to all members of the local
community. For those outside Cardiff who
have experienced domestic abuse the
'All Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline'
(0808 8010 800) can refer male callers
(including gay and bisexual men) to a
specific service for men.

18 Partnership Working April 2005

 Show Racism the Red Card
Safer Middlesbrough Partnership

‘Show Racism the Red Card’ is an anti-racist charity established in January 1996, which
uses professional footballers as anti-racist role models. The aim of the campaign is to combat
racism through anti-racist education and professional footballers showing the way by
seeking to combat racism both in the sport and in society.
The launch of Middlesbrough Football Club (FC) posters to
promote the work of the campaign took place in February and
was attended by players from Darlington FC and Gary Bennett
(ex Sunderland footballer), Honorary Patron for ‘Show Racism
the Red Card’. The day included extracts from the ‘Show Racism
the Red Card’ video, together with details of current and future
developments for the scheme. A question and answer session was
also held with the children and football players.
A number of educational resources, including videos,
CD-ROMs, education packs, posters and magazines have been
produced for the campaign and the website (www.srtrc.org)
includes pictures of team players as well as their views and
current news items.

For more information and copies of the video, CD ROM and education
packs priced £15.00 including p&p contact ‘Show Racism the Red Card’,
PO Box 141, Whitley Bay NE26 3YH
Tel: 0191 291 0160 Fax: 0191 297 1555 E-mail: info@TheRedCard.org
or visit the website www.srtrc.org

Trading Standards and Crime and Disorder

Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) - A new
role for Associate Trainers
Trading Standards Institute and Crime Reduction Centre

The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) As part of the strategy, Trading

launched their Crime and Disorder Strategy
in February, to address the role of trading
standards services in local crime and
disorder strategies.
The TSI is the UK professional body for
officers working in trading standards or
regulatory services. Their aim is to promote
excellence and enhance the professionalism
of members in informing consumers,
encouraging honest businesses and tackling
rogue traders. In a recent survey, it was
noted that only 27% of Trading Standards
Departments were fully represented on
their local CDRPs and 41% were ‘usually or
very involved’. The strategy seeks to
highlight the main issues and provide the
professional development requirements to
contribute to and understand the role
trading standards may play.
Standards, in partnership with the Home
Office Crime Reduction Centre (CRC),
offered Trading Standards Officers the
opportunity to train as CRC Associate
Trainers to enable them to deliver the one-
day crime reduction course to fellow
officers. The course was extremely well
received by delegates and the new trainers
are now planning training days to
disseminate their newly acquired
knowledge both locally and regionally. For more information contact
Helen McAndrew, Lead Officer of Helen McAndrew, Lead Officer
Community Safety for Trading Standards, Community Safety, Trading
highlighted the potential synergies Standards, Invicta House,
between the work of the CDRPs and Trading County Hall, Maidstone,
Standards, explaining the opportunities for Kent ME14 1XX
working together to reduce issues such as Tel: 01622 221012
anti-social behaviour and distraction E-mail: helen.mcandrew@
burglary. kent.gov.uk

April 2005 Partnership Working 19

 Doorstep Crime
Hampshire Constabulary and Trading Standards

Trading Standards and the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) have been involved in a
campaign, which aims to reduce doorstep crime and educate those involved with potential
victims of this type of offence (www.doorstepcrime.com).
Doorstep crime usually involves ‘tricking’ a person to gain entry to their home in order
to steal, such as bogus meter readers or council officials. It can also include rogue traders,
who prey on more vulnerable members of the community in an attempt to defraud them of
money for goods or services. Very often victims of these crimes do not report
them immediately, due to embarrassment, fear or intimidation.
Trading Standards have set up a ‘reputable trader scheme’, which involves
inviting interested tradesmen to apply for free registration and approval. The
Police and Trading Standards have also visited local builders merchants to ensure
that they are aware of the problem of rogue builders and posters have been
displayed on premises, advising people to be aware of potential offenders. Posters
have also been placed in ferry terminals. These posters are aimed primarily at
offenders and highlight the consequences of carrying out criminal activity in the
area. An agreement has also been reached with local tarmac suppliers who now refuse to
supply tarmac to any suspicious trader, referring them instead to Trading Standards or
the police.
The campaign also uses additional ‘eyes and ears’ including social services, street
wardens and Neighbourhood Watch.
This campaign was set up to make the Isle of Wight a place where bogus officials and
rogue traders are not welcome, where they cannot operate and where there is a zero
tolerance to them and their activities.

For more information contact PC Nigel Roberts, Local Intelligence Officer, Hampshire Constabulary,
CIMU, Newport Police Station, High St, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1SZ
Tel: 01983 538512 or Pauline Paulls, Senior Trading Standards Inspector, Isle Of Wight Trading
Standards, Jubilee Stores, The Quay, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 2EH
Tel: 01983 823373 E-mail: pauline.paulls@hants.gov.uk

Seeking your views?

West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police are carrying out a
review of community safety partnerships in
order to identify areas where performance
can be improved.
Community safety partnerships require
organisations like the police, fire service,
local authority and primary care trusts to
work together to address local crime and
disorder issues. Representatives from each
organisation meet regularly to discuss ways
to tackle community safety issues. West
Midlands has 7 community safety
partnerships committed to making the
region a safer place to live, work and visit.
An on-line survey has been made
available on the West Midlands Police Force
Website (www.west-midlands.police.uk)
and the public are being asked to complete
it to enable the force to identify how much
local people know about their community
safety partnership. The results of the survey
will be posted on the website in the near
future and details will also be passed to
each partnership.
For more information contact Sgt Wendy Rees,
West Midlands Police HQ, Lloyd House, Colmore
Circus, Birmingham B4 6NQ
Tel: 0845 113 5000 Ext 7800 2384
E-mail: w.rees@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk
or visit the website:
www.west-midlands.police.uk

20 Partnership Working April 2005

 Raid-control – a proactive approach to
reducing robbery
Metropolitan Police Service
The Raid-control Trust is a not-for-profit
crime reduction initiative designed specifi-
cally to reduce robberies in small retail
premises. It is a partnership project backed
by various police forces, as well as the
British Retail Consortium and the British
Security Industry Association.
Raid-control is a package of security
measures including staff training, based on
best practice methods that have
significantly reduced robberies in banks,
building societies and post offices. It is
designed to be cost-effective for the small
retailer and user-friendly for both the
retailer and the Crime Prevention Officer
(CPO), who provides certification to the
Raid-control standard. The CPO is the
facilitator of Raid-control. They can use
Raid-control either proactively or reactively
to prevent robbery in hot-spots or to
reduce the risk of re-victimisation. Having
identified appropriate premises and secured
the interest of the retailer, the CPO visits
the premises with a computerised risk-
assessment questionnaire. This is an
easy-to-use package, which is quick to
complete and involves checks against a list
of requirements. Any areas not covered are
addressed by the retailer, including staff
training in raid awareness. The officer
returns to confirm that all Raid-control
measures are in place and that the training
has been completed, if so the retailer is
awarded Raid-control status. The retailer
can then display the deterrent signage on
their premises.
The cost of Raid control depends on
the type of security already in use on the
premises. It may be that staff training is the
only requirement, in which case there is
little or no cost apart from the training
pack itself. If a retailer has no elements of
Raid-control, the package costs approxi-
mately £1000 - £1500. In a large majority
of installations, this cost has been covered
in part or full by various funding streams,
including Communities Against Drugs
funding for pharmacies and the Capital
Modernisation Fund for convenience stores.
April 2005
Raid-control was initially installed in
19 pharmacies by Croydon Police in June
2002, during a spate of violent robberies in
the area. Since then there have been no
robberies in any of the pharmacies.
Following the pharmacy pilot success, 13
convenience stores were identified in the
Croydon area that had all been repeat
robbery victims. Raid-control equipment
was installed in Spring 2003 and since
then, there has been only one robbery and
2 attempted robberies. In both of the
attempts a combination of the Raid-control
...a package of security
“
measures...based on best practice
methods that have
significantly reduced robberies...
It is designed to be cost-effective for
the small retailer and
user-friendly...
equipment and staff training deterred the
”
criminals. Retailers have repeatedly
expressed their feelings of safety following
installation of Raid-control and CPOs have
also responded very positively to the ease
and effectiveness of the initiative.
The Metropolitan Police Service has For more information contact
adopted Raid-control as the official DC Alan Townsend, Crime
response to commercial robbery as part of Prevention Co-ordinator,
the strategy to reduce gun crime in Metropolitan Police Service
London. Raid-control is also available in Flying Squad, New Scotland
Greater Manchester and Thames Valley Yard, Broadway,
Police areas, with many other police forces London SW1H 0BG
around the country currently considering Tel: 07973 818927
adopting the initiative. The aim is to E-mail: info@
eventually make Raid-control available banknotewatch.co.uk
nationally. or visit the website:
www.raid-control.org
Partnership Working 21
 Secured by Design - Inherent in City
Planning
ACPO CPI Ltd

Manchester City Council has made a major commitment to Secured by Design (SBD) by
making it a condition of planning for almost all new developments in its catchment area.
The good relationship between the planning department and the Architectural Liaison
Unit of Greater Manchester Police has strengthened over the last few years, which has
confirmed a shared vision for quality, sustainable developments in the city. The new planning
conditions will apply to a wide range of developments and Manchester City Council feels it is
imperative that developers are introduced to security as a planning issue at the earliest
opportunity, including pre-application discussion. This means that developments are
designed with security in mind from the outset and not as an afterthought.
Following the implementation of the planning condition, developers have requested
advice from the local Architectural Liaison Officer (ALO) before the planning stage, which
For more information contact has led to daily consultations between the 2 parties. This has prompted other local authorities
ACPO CPI Ltd, 7th Floor, to become involved and the council have found that developers have responded well to the
25, Victoria Street, issue of security. ALOs will continue to work in partnership with developers and applicants,
London SW1H 0EX to ensure the right development is delivered.
Tel: 020 7227 3423 Manchester City Council’s commitment to the scheme will have an enormous influence
Fax: 020 7227 3400/01 in encouraging other local authorities to make SBD a condition of planning and to fully
E-mail: acpocpi@ embrace all the benefits the initiative has to offer, including a dramatic reduction in crime
acpo.pnn.police.uk and fear of crime and increased tenant satisfaction.

What Car 2005 Best Vehicle Security Award

Safer Swansea Partnership

The Safer Swansea Partnership has won the ‘What Car 2005 Best Vehicle Security Award’.
Vehicle crime in the area is down by 34% and vehicle arson has reduced by 39% compared to
the same time last year.
Some of the partnership’s winning initiatives include:
• An analysis to identify where thieves operate and what type of vehicles they target.
Letters were sent to car owners most at risk and they were also offered discounted
car security products.
• Vehicle crime safety messages have featured in local newspapers with hard-hitting
messages including, ‘Vehicle crime is your fault!’, ‘If you leave your valuables on the
front seat and the door unlocked, you’re making the thief’s life easy’. Posters and leaflets
have also been distributed around the area with advice such as ‘LOCK IT OR LOSE IT’,
‘DON’T GIVE A CAR THIEF A GIFT’ and ‘CAR THIEVES WINDOW SHOP TOO’.
• Empty retail units have been used for large window displays, increasing
public awarenes.
• Swansea has 10 Secured by Design car parks, with more planned for the future. These car
parks meet national standards of excellence and provide a safe, secure place for people to
park their car. The car parks are also equipped with an audible device, reminding
motorists about vehicle security.
• Partner agency’s staff, council car park attendants, the police, city rangers and the fire
service use the ‘Vulnerable Vehicle Scheme’. This includes patrolling car parks and streets
to identify vehicles left vulnerable to attack by thieves. Details of the vehicle are recorded
and a message left on the windscreen or a letter sent to the owner, explaining why the
car may be targeted.
• The Swansea Motor Show offers vehicle crime advice and includes competitions for the
public, who have to identify why a car is vulnerable to attack. Free tamperproof tax discs
and key rings are also distributed.

22 Partnership Working April 2005

• Physical changes have also been made to the area. Boulders and barriers are used to block
access to waste land and forestry sites and roads have been redesigned to reduce For more information contact
vehicle speed. A/Insp Bryan Heard, South
• Decoy cars are used to catch car thieves. Police cars and the city’s CCTV system are Wales Police, Partnership Office,
equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to identify C/O Cockett Police Station,
stolen and suspect vehicles. John Street, Cockett, Swansea
• The partnership’s unique scheme to remove abandoned, untaxed and criminal pool Tel: 07970 187961
vehicles has been praised by The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) as key to E-mail: bryan.heard@
the dramatic 39% reduction in vehicle fires from 600 in 2003 to 366 in 2004. south-wales.pnn.police.uk
• Hard-hitting video presentations have been used in schools to explain the cost of vehicle Website:
crime to pupils. www.saferswansea.org.uk

and Publicity
Publications
Tackling crimes against small businesses:
Lessons from the Small Retailers in
Deprived Areas initiative
Home Office Development and Practice Report 29

This report draws on evidence from the
Small Retailers in Deprived Areas (SRDA)
initiative and provides guidelines for
practitioners working to increase the
security and viability of small businesses.
The recommendations may be of interest to
the police, Crime and Disorder Reduction
Partnerships (CDRPs), local authorities, the
business community, security professionals
and other regeneration and voluntary
groups working in the field.
The main discussion focuses on
the project process from design to
implementation:
• Targeting – a problem-solving
approach.
• Business and agency involvement
– how to foster ownership.
• Thinking through interventions.
• Implementation.
• Sustainability and ongoing support.
The key good practice lessons that have
emerged from 12 SRDA projects have been
pulled together and are highlighted
throughout the report with practical
examples where possible. 8 SRDA projects
were evaluated as full case studies, which
involved pre and post implementation
surveys with both businesses and
customers, together with in-depth
interviews with key stakeholders. A further
4 projects were subject to more limited
evaluations by regional research teams,
whose main focus was to examine the
processes behind the projects and to
identify any good practice.
The report briefly discusses emerging
findings on the impact of the SRDA
initiative, focusing primarily on the 8 fully
assessed case studies, but also drawing on
emerging findings from a recent telephone
survey with 1,000 small businesses, half of
which benefited from the SRDA initiative.
Copies of this report, published in November
2004 are available free of charge from the Direct
Communications Unit, 7th Floor, Horseferry
House, Dean Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585
Fax: 020 7035 3289
E-mail: publications.rds@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Copies can also be viewed and downloaded from
the Home Office Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/
pdfs04/dpr29.pdf

April 2005 Partnership Working/Publications and Publicity 23

 Problem-solving street crime: practical
lessons from the Street Crime Initiative
Home Office

Copies of this guide, published
in November 2004 are available
free of charge from the Direct
Communications Unit,
7th Floor, Horseferry House,
Dean Ryle Street,
London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585
Fax: 020 7035 3289
E-mail: publications.rds@
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Copies can also be viewed and
downloaded from the Home
Office Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
rds/pdfs04/pssc.pdf
This practice guide draws together and builds on the experience of the Street Crime
Initiative, which was launched in March 2002, together with previous research. Its purpose
is to feed back lessons learned to local policy-makers and practitioners to inform strategy and
tactic development. The guide is split into 2 main parts. The first part provides advice on the
problem-solving process and should be of particular interest to those with a role in
developing strategy, whether as senior managers or as senior analysts at national, force,
Crime and Disorder Partnership or Basic Command Unit levels.
Sections 1 and 2 - 'Selecting effective methods to reduce street crime' and 'Reducing
street crime: basic mechanisms' - briefly lays out some well-established principles and
methods of crime control and problem-solving, including problem solving models such as
SARA and the 5 I's as well as practical aids to problem-solving.
Section 3 - Practical guide to evaluation - this section addresses issues of evaluation,
including the measurement of impact and side effects, such as crime displacement.
The second part of the guide gives practical examples of how the problem-solving
approach can be applied to different types of street crime and will be of interest to those
attempting to devise tactics to deal with specific street crime problems. This part contains
descriptions of 9 common street crime problems including:
• Student and commercial robbery.
• School-aged children.
• Cash machines.
• Public transport.
• Problem drug use.
• Bag snatches from elderly women.
• Mobile phones and false reporting.
Section 4 - Practical analysis: understanding street crime problems - offers practical
illustrations of how police data can be used as part of the problem-solving SARA process. It
demonstrates how the street crime problem can be broken down into easily identifiable sub-
sets of problems, making them easier to translate into tactical police-led responses.
Section 5 - Common problem scenarios for street crime - presents a series of scenarios
found specifically for street crime problems, illustrating responses that have already had
some success or show promise. The scenarios presented complement the sections on
principles and problem solving. They can help local decision-makers to make informed
decisions about how to identify and address particular street crime problems.

Neighbourhood Watch: What’s it all about?

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary have
launched a Neighbourhood Watch (NHW)
leaflet, which can be used in NHW
recruitment drives, as well as for
distribution at presentations and shows.
The leaflet, entitled ‘Neighbourhood
Watch: What’s it all about?’ outlines the
benefits and purpose of NHW. It
explains that as well as a crime
reduction tool, NHW is an opportunity
for people to get together and become
involved in community initiatives,
which aim to improve their quality of life.
The leaflet provides advice on starting up a
watch scheme and briefly describes a co-
ordinator’s responsibilities. There is also a
list of useful contact numbers for further
help and advice.
For more information and copies of the leaflet
contact Michael Moore, Watch Development
Officer, Northern Devon, IIMU(N), Barnstaple
Police Station, North Walk, Barnstaple,
North Devon EX31 1DU Tel: 01271 335317
E-mail: michael.moore@
devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

24 Publications and Publicity April 2005

 VALIDATEUK Website
VALIDATEUK

V A L I DATE U K is a voluntary proof of age and application forms for customers to

card for everyone. It aims to ensure that age
restricted products are only sold to those
legally entitled to buy them. Alternatively, it
also helps those who may look younger
than they are to prove their age.
VALIDATEUK have recently launched a
new website (www.validateuk.co.uk/
index.php) featuring details on applying
for a card, facts for retailers about how
VALIDATE cards should be used and
information on ordering a retailers pack,
which includes posters, leaflets, stickers
obtain a card. The site enables users to
register for ‘Vinnie’s Forum’, where people
can post messages and get involved in on-
line discussions. Users can also contribute
to the guestbook and raise any questions
they may have with the VALIDATE team.
For more information contact VALIDATEUK, The
Stables, Bavington Hall, Little Bavington,
Northumberland NE19 2BA Tel: 01830 530078
Fax: 01830 530079 or visit the website
www.validateuk.co.uk/index.php

Security Without the Spikes? A Practical

Resource Pack for Crime Prevention in the
Public Realm
Groundwork UK

This resource pack provides a basic introduction to the issues of improving security without
the need to use spikes and fences in the public domain. It discusses 3 techniques in
designing the environment to reduce crime, including:
• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
• Secured by Design (SBD).
• Problem Solving.

The handout considers the emphasis on characteristics and issues of offenders and
potential victims, which can be useful for planning work. It looks at the ‘features of crime’
idea, which can be used to understand how SBD, CPTED and other systems contribute.
However, it suggests that some features of crime can be addressed by one response but not
another. For example:
• Youth Work - approaches features of crime by dealing with the personal variables and
issues. It is appropriate for some and not other features.
• CCTV - appropriate for some features, like car parks, but not for others (will not
minimise the risk of violence in a crowded pub, whereas improving the design and
layout of the pub will).

Copies of this resource pack, published in December 2004 are available from Groundwork UK,
1 Kennington Road, London SE1 7QP
Tel: 020 7922 1230 Fax: 020 7922 1219.
Copies can also be viewed and downloaded via the website:
www.gate-it.org.uk/ideas/security-without-the-spikes.doc

...characteristics and issues of offenders and

“ potential victims, which can be useful for
planning work.

April 2005
” Publications and Publicity 25

Copies of this report, published in
September 2004 can be viewed
and downloaded via the
Government Office for the West
Midlands Website:
www.go-wm.gov.uk/
static/gems/cru/
PAYPReview.pdf
For more information contact Pete
Reynolds, Regional PAYP
Manager, Government Office for
the West Midlands,
5, St Philips Place,
Birmingham B3 2PW
Tel: 0121 352 5153
E-mail: preynolds.gowm@
go-regions.gsi.gov.uk
26 Publications and Publicity
Positive Activities for Young People: A
Review of 2003 – 04 West Midlands Region
Home Office and Government Office for the West Midlands
Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) was
introduced in England in 2003 with the aim of
providing activities during holidays and on-
going support via key workers to young people
aged 8 to 19 years, who were believed to be at
risk of involvement in offending and anti-social
behaviour.
PAYP is co-ordinated at a local level by Lead
Delivery Agents (LDAs), who in the West
Midlands are the Connexions Partnerships. The
LDAs ensure that a variety of activity providers,
including statutory, voluntary and private
sectors, known as Local Delivery Partners
(LDPs), are brought together to provide a wide
range of activities and opportunities for the
young people in their area. This paper gives an
overview of the activity and impact of the PAYP
programme in the West Midlands in 2003-
2004. Each section provides a regional example
and key messages in relation to the various
objectives.The 7 objectives of PAYP are to:
• Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour
both in the short term and long term.
• Support young people back into
education or training and help
them stay there, by working with
those at risk of truancy.
• Ensure that young people are supported as
they move from primary to secondary
school.
• Provide access to quality arts, sports and
cultural activities, allowing those with an
interest and/or talent in any area to
continue after the programme has ended.
• Bring together young people from
different geographical and ethnic
communities to help break down prejudice
and misunderstanding.
• Give young people opportunities for
personal development including the
development of self-discipline, self-respect
and self-confidence enabling them to
communicate more effectively with a
range of people and work effectively in
a team.
• Encourage young people to contribute to
their communities through volunteering
and active citizenship.
In each section of this document, some
core elements of the regional examples have
been set out as key messages, which together
summarise what has been learned through PAYP
in the West Midlands in
2003 - 2004:
Partnership - True partnership between
the statutory, private and voluntary sectors is
crucial in delivering effective PAYP programmes
and needs encouraging and nurturing, within a
framework of inclusivity and capacity building.
However, that partnership can and should
extend to the young people themselves as
advisors, delivery supporters and evaluators, as
well as the neighbourhoods and communities in
which they live.
Strategic planning - The value of
adopting a strategic approach to the
development and delivery of PAYP programmes
has been recognised in the West Midlands. Thus
examples can be found from all areas
identifying as wide a range of potential
deliverers as possible and utilising their “intelli-
gence” to target potential young people;
establishing need and ensuring coverage and
variety in activity programmes through consul-
tation and quality testing; and evaluating their
impact.
Communication - Robust and transparent
lines of communication between the
partnership co-ordinating and delivering PAYP
programmes is important for planning,
targeting and evaluation. However, it is equally
important to get appropriate messages out to a
variety of stakeholders and potential supporters
of local PAYP activity concerning what is
planned, what is required and what has been
achieved.
Quality - The value of PAYP nationally as a
contributor to tackling substantive, crosscutting
issues, such as crime, community cohesion,
individual well-being and citizenship has been
recognised in the objectives established for the
programme. It is essential therefore that all
activity in the name of PAYP should, in some
measure, contribute to these objectives, which
can be achieved through consultation and
communication with delivery agents and quality
testing and tendering processes that objectively
establish each agent’s capacity and commitment
to the principles of PAYP. Additionally, of course,
young people who engage in PAYP activities and
programmes deserve the highest quality, safe
provision, which needs to be secured through
systematic approaches to commissioning,
monitoring and evaluation.
April 2005
 Tackling Domestic Violence: providing
support for children who have witnessed
domestic violence
Home Office Development and Practice Report 33

This report provides good practice recommendations and suggestions for practitioners and
professionals who are involved in commissioning, developing or delivering initiatives to
support children who have witnessed, or are currently witnessing domestic violence.
Once domestic violence has been identified and disclosed, children may need direct help
and support to enable them to cope and move on from what has or is happening. Examples of
the type of support includes:
• Counselling.
• Play therapy.
• Life story work.
• Crisis work.
• Safety planning.

These interventions are often conducted together with support work and with the
mother.
The report draws on the evaluations of a number of projects, which were funded under
the Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) Violence Against Women Initiative (VAWI), as well as
published literature.

Copies of this report, published in December 2004 are available free of charge from the Direct
Communications Unit, 7th Floor, Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585 Fax: 020 7035 3289 E-mail: publications.rds@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Copies can also be viewed and downloaded from the Home Office Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/dpr33.pdf

Trickster in a Box
Dorset Police

Beating the bogus caller is the theme of ‘Trickster’, a live show that has been touring South
West Dorset for over 2 years.
Trickster follows the story of George, a World War Two veteran who is duped by a bogus
caller. Through original words, music and lyrics, George explains to the audience just how
much he has lost, not only in money, but also his pride and self-worth. However, this is a
story with a happy ending and George is able to fight back. He follows some sensible advice
and, following another attack, George is able to beat the second bogus caller, resulting in the
con man’s arrest.
The story has a very powerful and important message, with the target group for the show
being the elderly and vulnerable - people who have given so much for their country and
those who follow after them. Trickster aims to reassure and not frighten the audience,
demonstrating that they do not have to become a victim of this type of crime. It aims to
provide them with the knowledge and confidence they need to combat bogus callers.
Trickster is also available on VHS or DVD as ‘Trickster in a Box’ for those people unable to
get to watch the live show.

For more information and to order copies of ‘Trickster in a Box’, which costs £20.00 (including VAT) plus
£3.00 postage & packaging contact Elaine Ryan, Dorset Police, Partnership Trust Co-ordinator,
Force HQ, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8DZ
Tel: 01202 223896 Fax: 01202 223631 E-mail: elaine.ryan@dorset.pnn.police.uk

April 2005 Publications and Publicity 27

 Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)
Training Conference
Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice

For more information
E-mail: SARTconf@aol.com
or visit the website
www.sane-sart.com to
download a team application
or www.theiacp.org to
request an application for a law
enforcement scholarship.
The third national Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Training Conference is scheduled to
take place 1 - 3 June 2005 at the Hilton San Francisco Hotel, California.
Training and improving SART capabilities are the focus of the conference and the 2005
event is expected to gather 800 SART members from across the nation, who provide victims
of sexual crimes with victim-centred care through the criminal justice process. The Office for
Victims of Crime will also be providing funding to support 2 types of scholarship for the
conference. A limited number of scholarships are available for sexual assault response teams
as well as law enforcement officers.

Sex Crime: Sex Offending and Society –

Second Edition
Edited by Terry Thomas

This book, published by Willan Publishing
provides details on the nature and extent of
sex crime and offending in Britain and the
policies and legislation in place to tackle it.
This new second edition is revised and
expanded to reflect the developments that
have taken place since it was successfully
first published. In particular, this book
takes full account of:
• Sexual Offences Act 2003.
• New laws on domestic violence.
• Establishment of the Criminal Records
Bureau and centralised screening.
• New multi-agency arrangements to
monitor the 'dangerous' person in the
community.
• New measures to tackle Internet crime
and pornography.
• Trafficking of women and children for
the purposes of prostitution.
Copies of this book, published in January 2005
and priced £17.99 (paperback) can be obtained
from Willan Publishing, Culmcott House,
Mill Street, Uffculme, Cullompton,
Devon EX15 3AT
Tel: 01884 840337 Fax: 01884 840251
E-mail: info@willanpublishing.co.uk or visit their
website: www.willanpublishing.co.uk

Sex Offenders in the Community:

Managing and reducing the risks
Edited by Amanda Matravers

Copies of this book, published
in January 2005 and priced
£17.50 (paperback) can be
obtained from Willan
Publishing ( see details above).
This book brings together leading authorities in the field to explore current criminal justice
responses to the management of individuals convicted of sexual offences. It is essential
reading for anybody with an interest in managing and treating sex offenders
The book aims to help policy-makers, practitioners and students to develop an informed
position on this complex and often controversial issue. The focus is primarily on the UK,
however contributions from North America (USA and Canada) provide important
comparisons.
The first part of this book relates to the issue of sex offenders in the community and
explores the theoretical and legal frameworks that underpin current practice. Part 2 focuses
on risk assessment, providing a critical analysis of existing and developing approaches to the
assessment of individual sex offenders. The last section examines multi-agency protection
arrangements and discusses the current and future roles of statutory and partner agencies in
the risk management process.

28 Publications and Publicity April 2005

 Breaking Down the Barriers
Conference 2005
National Community Safety Network

This conference, which is scheduled for 27 - 28 April 2005 at the Jarvis Piccadilly Hotel in
Manchester, is the National Community Safety Network's 10th Annual Conference.
The conference will focus on the ‘community safety ideal’ and identify though
discussion and debate, what the barriers are to achieving this ideal. The event will provide an
opportunity for practitioners to work with colleagues to develop ideas and solutions to
improving successful partnerships. In addition, there will also be the chance to attend a
series of study tours around Manchester, which will focus on community safety projects in
action around the city.

For more information on costs and to book a place contact NCSN@Yarrington Ltd, Upton,
Magna Business Park, Shrewsbury SY4 4TT
Tel: 01743 708201 Fax: 01743 709596
E-mail: lesley@yarrington.co.uk or visit the website: www.yarrington.co.uk/man_2005/

A guide to alleygating in Salford

Salford City Council

Salford City Council has produced this
step-by-step guide to gating alleys, which
shows people how to set up an alleygating
scheme, as well as providing details of the
help and support available in getting
started.
Although alleys can be useful, particu-
larly for those people living in terraced
housing, they also allow criminals easy
access to the rear of people's homes.
Burglars prefer to break into houses
through the back door or windows, with
access through the front of properties
accounting for only 15% of domestic
burglaries. Criminals can use alleyways at
the back of terrace houses without being
seen and if they know them well, they can
also use them as an escape route. Gating off
these alleys to allow access to residents
only helps to keep burglars out. Alleygating
has many benefits and schemes carried out
in other cities have shown that burglary
rates have been dramatically reduced. Some
other advantages of alleygating include:
• Reducing fear of crime.
• Reducing vandalism, fly-tipping, drug
dealing and arson.
• Eradicating areas where anti-social
behaviour takes place.
• Improving community spirit by giving
a sense of ownership of the alleys.
• Creating safer play areas for children.
• Reducing the number of empty
properties.
For more information and
copies of this free guide
published in January 2005
contact Salford City Council,
Burglary Reduction Initiative,
1st Floor, St James' House,
Pendleton Way,
Salford M6 5FW
Tel: 0161 603 4252
E-mail: Ian.lavin@
salford.gov.uk
Copies can also be downloaded
via the website:
www.salford.gov.uk/
alleygating

April 2005 Publications and Publicity 29

 Reducing Vehicle Crime
National Audit Office
The National Audit Office (NAO) has
published the results of an investigation
into the effectiveness of Home Office
programmes targeting vehicle crime. These
programmes reduced thefts of and from
vehicles by 30% between 1999 and 2004.
According to the British Crime Survey
(BCS) 2003-04 there were 241,000 thefts
of vehicles, 1.3 million thefts from vehicles
and 543,000 attempted thefts of or from
vehicles. In addition to the distress and
inconvenience that vehicle crimes cause,
Home Office research estimates that thefts
of and from vehicles costs society around
£2.1 billion a year.
In assessing the Home Office's efforts
the NAO found that:
• Good progress has been made in
working with the motor industry to
bring about new improvements in the
security of vehicles. These
improvements are likely to be the main
reason for the reduction in thefts
of vehicles.
• Steady progress has been made in
Copies of this report, published improving police enforcement to deter
in January 2005 are available criminals. Detection rates remain low
priced £10.75 from compared to other offences, but the
TSO (The Stationery Office), introduction of the Automatic Number
PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN Plate Recognition system could lead to
Tel: 0870 600 5522 further significant improvements.
Fax: 0870 600 5533 • Good progress has been made in
E-mail: book.orders@tso.co.uk raising public awareness of
Copies of the report and an vehicle crime.
executive summary can also be
viewed and downloaded from The NAO report identifies a number of
the National Audit areas where more needs to be done to
Office Website: tackle vehicle crime:
www.nao.org.uk/ • Progress in making car parks more
publications/ secure has been slower. Not enough car
nao_reports/04-05/ parks provide a safe and secure
0405183es.pdf environment for motorists, although
(executive summary) the introduction of the Safer Parking
www.nao.org.uk/ Scheme has begun to make
publications/ a difference.
nao_reports/
04-05/0405183.pdf
(full report).
30 Publications and Publicity
• The Driver and Vehicle Licensing
Agency (DVLA) have provided the
Police with vehicle record data
sufficient to enable them to trace the
registered keeper in 90% of cases.
However, its absolute vehicle record
accuracy (with 32% of vehicle records
with some level of inaccuracy) must be
improved to facilitate the more
effective use of automated
enforcement. It has already taken
significant steps to address the
underlying causes but should continue
to take action to ensure that the
measured accuracy of the detailed
record does improve.
• The Home Office has sought to make it
more difficult for offenders to benefit
from vehicle crime, but further
progress is required.
• Criminals can still purchase number
plates from unregistered suppliers in
Scotland and Northern Ireland,
although this should no longer be
possible in England and Wales.
• Tighter regulation of salvage operators
should make it more difficult for the
identity of written-off vehicles to be
used to enable stolen vehicles to be re-
sold. But over half of the 200 local
authorities with the highest rates of
vehicle crime had yet to set up a
register of salvage operators or had no
operators on their registers.
The report recommends that the Home
Office encourage all hospitals and railway
companies to make their car parks secure.
The DVLA needs to improve the accuracy of
its vehicle records to help the Police
identify stolen vehicles better. The Home
Office needs to remind Local Authorities of
their obligations to set up a register of
motor salvage operators and should explore
further how it could co-ordinate its
publicity campaigns more closely with
local initiatives to tackle vehicle crime.
April 2005
 New Fraud Mini-site
Home Office

The Fraud Team based in the Organised and Financial Crime Unit of the Home Office have
launched a new Fraud Mini-site (www.crimereduction.gov.uk/fraud) containing
information for the police and crime reduction practitioners, as well as for businesses and
the public.
Estimates suggest that financial fraud in the UK accounts for at least £14 billion a year.
Plastic card fraud now costs over £400 million and fraudsters continually take advantage of
new technology to commit frauds or invent new scams. However, there is much that
businesses and individuals can do to avoid becoming victims of fraud.
The new website includes police advice pages containing information about the
recording of crime and the prioritisation of fraud cases for investigation, as well as details of
the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU), a specialist police unit dealing with
organised plastic card and cheque fraud. The site also contains a leaflet about card safety,
which is available for forces and crime reduction practitioners to distribute to members of
the public. The business and consumer pages of the site offer fraud prevention advice and
links to other useful websites.
The new Fraud Mini-site complements the existing E-tailing Mini-site, which provides
advice on safe buying and selling over the Internet.

For more information contact Sue Griffiths, Home Office, Organised and Financial Crime Unit,
5th Floor, Fry Building, 2, Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF
Tel: 020 7035 1561 E-mail: susan.griffiths@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
or visit the mini-site: www.crimereduction.gov.uk/fraud

A guide to Ultra Violet Security Markings

Safe in Tees Valley

The crime prevention and community fraudulent currency, credit cards and other
safety partnership, Safe in Tees Valley have documentation. It is particularly intended
produced a useful guide to ultra violet for law enforcement agencies and anybody
security markings. who handles these articles regularly.
The guide aims to The guide provides information on the
raise awareness of the various products that fluoresce under
benefits of ultra violet ultraviolet light including Smartwater and
light to help in the UV marker pens.
identification of stolen
property, as well as in For more information and free copies of
the detection of the guide contact Phil Taylor, Crime
Prevention Officer, Safe in Tees Valley Ltd,
Christine House, Sorbonne Close, Thornaby,
Stockton on Tees TS17 6DA
Tel: 01642 306694 Fax: 01642 306688
E-mail: phil.taylor2@cleveland.pnn.police.uk
Website: www.clevelandpolice.uk

Editor’s Note: Property marking schemes

should adhere to the Association of Chief
Police Officer (ACPO)/Home Office principles
of property marking. Details of these are
published on the Crime Reduction Website:
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/
property01.htm

April 2005 Publications and Publicity 31

 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
(LGBT) Awareness Event
Derbyshire Constabulary

Derby will hold its first lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) awareness
event aimed at raising awareness about the
area’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
community.
The event is being held in the market
place in Derby on Saturday 14 May
between 11am and 4pm. It has been
organised in partnership with various local
agencies including Derbyshire
Constabulary, ARC (Awareness Raising
Co-operative – Derby’s LGBT Consultation
Forum), Derbyshire Friend LGB Support
Service and Choices LGB Youth Group, with
support from the Derby Association of
Community Partners.
The aims of the day include:
• Raising the profile of the local LGBT
community and promoting awareness
of LGBT issues.
• Providing information on the support
services available to the LGBT
community.
• Giving an opportunity for
organisations to promote
their services.
• Providing an arena, which reflects a
non-homophobic and
non-judgemental ethos.
• Developing a positive working
relationship between partner
organisations to further promote work
on LGBT issues.
The event will include stalls and stands
offering advice, education materials and
things to buy and entertainment will also
be provided based on a Covent Gardens
theme including mimes, jugglers and street
performers.
For more information contact PC Ali Adams,
Derbyshire Constabulary, St Marys Wharf Police
Station, Prime Park Way, Derby DE1 3AB
Tel: 01332 613132
E-Mail: alison.adams.1861@
derbyshire.pnn.police.uk
or Adrian Piggott, Derbyshire Friend Lesbian Gay
and Bisexual Support Service, The Pavillion LGB
Centre, 2 – 3, Friary Street, Derby DE1 1JF
Tel: 01332 207704
E-Mail: derbyshirefriend@yahoo.co.uk

Secured by Design Discussion Forum

ACPO CPI Ltd

The Secured by Design Discussion Forum has been successfully up and running for some
time and is proving to be a valuable resource for crime prevention professionals nationwide.
The forum has been designed to encourage the exchange of ideas and information and
invite discussion on topics relating to Secured by Design. A host of issues have featured on
the forum, from highlighting relevant documents and press articles to the latest develop-
ments in crime prevention. The site also maintains a regular exchange of information and
experience between practitioners.
Access to the forum is open to police service employees and related
agencies registered with ACPO CPI Ltd to use the ‘Police Only’ section of
the site.
If you want to discuss a topic, share information or you have
a Secured by Design query for crime prevention colleagues,
access the site at: www.securedbydesign.com. The
Discussion Forum is located in the ‘Police Only’ section.

For more information contact ACPO CPI Ltd, 7th Floor,

25 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0EX
Tel: 020 7227 3423 Fax: 020 7227 3400/01 E-mail: acpocpi@acpo.pnn.police.uk

32 Publications and Publicity April 2005

 Re s e a r c h
The future of netcrime now:
Part 1 - threats and challenges
Home Office Online Report 62/04

This report describes the results of research, which aimed to identify emerging criminal and
malicious behaviour threats relating to the misuse of computers and the Internet. It was
carried out as part of the Home Office Crime and Policing Group’s Organised and Hi-Tech
Crime Research programme and is a companion report to 'The future of netcrime now: Part
2 – responses' (see below). The research involved the creation of a ‘Delphi’ panel of experts.
Using electronic questions, the panel was asked 9 broad questions based around 3 themes.
The exercise was conducted anonymously to encourage individuals to express their opinions
alongside their peers.
The panel was asked to look at criminal threats and identify which areas of the internet
and information technology applications they considered a possible focus for criminal
activity in 2 to 5 years time. They were asked what form such activities would take and the
reasons for their response. A similar set of questions was asked in relation to technology-
based challenges with the potential to be misused by criminals, representing a challenge to
law enforcement and/or legitimate users.
The results from the 48 experts contributing to the primary Round 1 questionnaire
identified 101 criminal threats and 137 technology challenges. Some of the main findings
include:
• The top 3 concerns were on-line paedophile activity, fraud and espionage.
• The highest rated single item related to the perceived ability of offenders to undertake
secure (from law enforcement) communications via the use of email and associated
technologies such as cryptography, stenography and anonymous remailers.
• The highest rated category of technology was the use of peer-to-peer or file sharing
applications.
• One of the broadest concerns reflected the use or abuse of the World Wide Web via
individual websites.

The future of netcrime now:

Part 2 - responses Copies of these reports,
Home Office Online Reports 63/04 published in December 2004
can be viewed and downloaded
The final part of this survey examined the responses to the threats and challenges from the via the Home Office
perspective of UK law enforcement agencies, the UK government and the information and Website only:
communication technology industries and information technology (IT) users. These www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
responses are the focus of this report. rds/pdfs04/
28 out of the 48 (58%) original participants completed the fourth questionnaire, rating rdsolr6204.pdf
and providing additional comments on the 187 proposed netcrime responses. The responses and
were discussed in one of 2 frameworks, depending on their perceived relevance to law www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
enforcement issues or broader crime prevention measures. More immediate law rds/pdfs04/
enforcement-related measures were incorporated into the Police Science and Technology rdsolr6304.pdf
Strategy that draws upon the Police Performance Assessment Framework. Although this Application for reproduction of
strategy was drawn up to encompass all aspects of policing, not specifically netcrime, it still these reports should be made
provides a useful, existing frame of reference to discuss research panel responses regarding to the Direct Communications
police responses to netcrime. Unit, 7th Floor, Horseferry
The findings of the report conclude that there is no single solution to mitigating such House, Dean Ryle Street,
threats, though a number of recommendations are proposed for Government, law London SW1P 2AW
enforcement, the information communication industry and individual users. The challenges Tel: 0870 000 1585
of netcrime are not just waiting to be ‘solved’ with the emergence of new technology; they Fax: 020 7035 3289
are a permanent ongoing task to which this report aims to contribute. E-mail: publications.rds@
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

April 2005 Research 33

 Domestic violence and Crime and Disorder
Reduction Partnerships: findings from a
self-completion questionnaire
Home Office Online Report 56/04

Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships considered to be a high priority by

Copies of this report, published
in December 2004 can be
viewed and downloaded via
the Home Office Website only:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
rds/pdfs04/
rdsolr5604.pdf
Application for reproduction of
these reports should be made
to the Direct Communications
Unit, 7th Floor, Horseferry
House, Dean Ryle Street,
London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585
Fax: 020 7035 3289
E-mail: publications.rds@
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
(CDRPs) established under the Crime and
Disorder Act (1998) include the police,
local authorities, health and other statutory
and voluntary organisations who work
together to reduce crime in their areas. The
aim of this research was to provide a
comprehensive picture of the work of
CDRPs in relation to domestic violence. A
mapping exercise was conducted to assess
the nature and extent of work undertaken
by CDRPs on domestic violence.
A single method evaluation design was
used and a questionnaire was designed
primarily around the issue of domestic
violence. It was made available electroni-
cally from July to September 2003 to all
376 CDRPs via a direct web-link. A total of
345 CDRPs responded and some of the key
findings include:
• The majority of CDRPs included
domestic violence as part of their last
audit and strategy (89% and 95%
respectively). Most (73%) have also
developed a stand-alone strategy to
help them tackle domestic violence in
their area. Domestic violence was also
most CDRPs (73%).
• Although most CDRPs included
domestic violence as part of their audit
and strategy, Yorkshire and the Humber
was the only Government Office
Region (GOR) where all CDRPs who
responded to the questionnaire
included domestic violence in their
audits and strategies. Domestic
violence fora were responsible for
commissioning the majority of action
plans and strategies (either alone or in
partnership with the CDRP) and once
developed, strategies were most
commonly made available to the public
on request or were posted on a
website.
• The level of financial resources
available for domestic violence varied
widely among those CDRPs that
provided a monetary answer. The mean
funding level was £55,347 and the
median was £12,000. The majority
(62%) of CDRPs were allocated
funding between £5,000 and
£149,999.

University student safety in the East

Midlands
Home Office Online Report 61/04

This report focuses on a study of victimisation of university students at 9 universities in the

East Midlands carried out in 2002. Areas highlighted include safety issues and targeting
crime prevention efforts. The report is an update on Home Office Findings 194 'University
Student Safety', published in April 2003 and provides results for a further 2 universities in
the East Midlands. (The previous summary analysed results from 7 universities in
the region.)
Students from 9 higher education institutions across the East Midlands took part in the
study. The total number of students at each university ranged from around 1,000 to over
25,000 with most having around 14,000 students enrolled. Four of the campuses were in
urban settings and 5 were suburban locations. Of the 405 students interviewed, 91% were
undergraduates, with 56% being first and second year students. Just over half (56%) were
aged between 18-21. 93% were single, 55% were women and 81% of the sample were white.

34 Research April 2005

Corresponding roughly with national data, students’ courses of study were concentrated in
the social sciences, business, and combined studies. 33% of the students lived in university Copies of this report, published
accommodation with the remainder in private accommodation. in December 2004 can be
viewed and downloaded via
Some of the key findings in the report include: the Home Office Website only:
• One third of student respondents at the 9 universities surveyed were victims of crime www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
during the past year. 13% of students were the victim of theft or attempted theft; 11% rds/pdfs04/
were the victim of burglary. Theft, criminal damage and burglary accounted for 74% of rdsolr6104.pdf
all crimes. Application for reproduction of
• Two thirds of incidents were experienced by repeat victims. The most victimised 4% of these reports should be made
students experienced over 32% of all crimes. to the Direct Communications
• Almost 5% of students were stalked during the past year. Unit, 7th Floor, Horseferry
• Students who had been burgled were more likely to live in accommodation with fewer House, Dean Ryle Street,
surveillance measures than those who had not. London SW1P 2AW
• 62% of all incidents were not reported to the police. Tel: 0870 000 1585
• Students felt most fearful of vehicle crime, having things stolen from their motor vehicle Fax: 020 7035 3289
or having their motor vehicle stolen on campus at night. They perceived the least risk E-mail: publications.rds@
and were least fearful of all forms of intimate partner violence. homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Crime against retail and manufacturing

premises: findings from the 2002
Commercial Victimisation Survey
Home Office Findings 259

The 2002 Commercial Victimisation Survey • Some premises attracted a

interviewed around 4,000 managers of
retail premises and 2,500 managers of
manufacturing premises by telephone
about their experiences of crime in the
previous 12 months. The survey asked
respondents:
• Whether they had reported incidents to
the police.
• The extent of the losses suffered.
• Their crime prevention precautions.
• Their concerns about problems
of crime and antisocial behaviour in
the local area.
This report is a summary of the
findings for both retail and manufacturing
premises and includes:
• Three-quarters of all retailers had been
a victim of at least one crime over the
previous year compared with half of all
manufacturers.
• Overall, the risk of crime to retailers
and manufacturers was lower
comparing the results of the 2002
survey with those of the 1994
Commercial Victimisation Survey.
disproportionate amount of crime.
Larger premises were at greater risk of
crime, including violent crime. Those
located in deprived areas were also at
increased risk.
• The proportion of crimes that were
reported to the police varied widely by
crime type. For many types of crime
half or fewer were reported. However,
crimes against retailers and
manufacturers were more likely to be
reported than were crimes Copies of this report, published
against individuals. in December 2004 are available
• There was a positive balance of free of charge from the Direct
opinion about how the police dealt Communications Unit, 7th
with crime although those who had Floor, Horseferry House, Dean
been victims of crime in the previous Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW
12 months were more likely than non- Tel: 0870 000 1585
victims to express dissatisfaction with Fax: 020 7035 3289
the police in this respect. E-mail: publications.rds@
• Retailers were more likely to express homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
concern about crime and anti-social Copies can also be viewed and
behaviour than manufacturers. Of downloaded from the Home
greatest concern were teenagers Office Website:
hanging around outside the premises. www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
rds/pdfs04/r259.pdf

April 2005 Research 35


For more information on this
report published in November
2004 and copies of the draft
action plan contact
Dave Suszek, Business Crime
Reduction Advisor, Government
Office for West Midlands,
4th Floor, 5, St Philips Place,
Birmingham B3 2PW
Tel: 0121 212 5282
E-mail: dsuszek.gowm@
go-regions.gsi.gov.uk
36 Research
Business Crime in the West
Midlands Region
Government Office for the West Midlands
Business Crime in the West Midlands Region has been compiled by the Government Office
for West Midlands (GOWM) and is the result of a major mapping exercise across 4 police
force areas including West Midlands, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and West Mercia. The report
shows how crime affects businesses in the region and forms the basis for future strategies
into tackling this type of crime. For the purposes of this report, the definition currently in
use by Warwickshire Police, “any crime, which takes place against a business or on a business
premises” has been used.
The data in this paper has been drawn from statistics collected and collated by the 4
police forces in the West Midlands region, which were themselves drawn from statistics
submitted to the Home Office as part of the crime recording process. It represents the most
accurate set of data currently available, which will highlight future priorities. Some of the
key findings include:
• In the year to March 2004, the latest full year for which crime statistics are published, a
total of 158,471 business crimes were recorded across the region, representing 26% of
all recorded crime in the area as a whole.
• Focussing on individual crime categories, a number of specific problems become
apparent. The top 4 include shop theft, fraud, theft and burglary. These 4 categories alone
account for almost 75% of all business crime across the whole of the region.
They also account for nearly 20% of all crime in the area.
• The estimated annual cost to business and the criminal justice sector in the West
Midlands region for the top 4 crime categories alone is £123 million. Commercial
burglary alone costs up to £75 million across the region each year.
• Theft covers everything from pedal cycles to minor theft of equipment to internal theft.
However, it does not include theft of and from vehicles, as this is not a problem in all 4
police forces examined.
• The analysis suggests that some premises are more prone to business crime than others.
The top 7 most vulnerable premises include:
• Shop.
• Filling Station.
• Public House.
• Office.
• Factory.
• Café/Restaurant.
• Bank, Building Society or Post Office.
The figures contained within this report highlight areas in need of intervention and in
order to address these and other issues surrounding business crime, the Government Office
for West Midlands is developing a 3 year action plan to lay the foundations for long term
sustainable reductions in business crime.
April 2005
 Underage ‘risky’ drinking:
Motivations and outcomes
Trust for the Study of Adolescence
This study on ‘risky’ drinking (getting
drunk in unsupervised locations, often out
of doors) coincides with the publication of
the government’s first National Alcohol
Harm Reduction Strategy for England. The
study was carried out by the Trust for the
Study of Adolescence and published by the
Joseph Rowntree Foundation. It reviews
recent trends in young people’s alcohol use
and summarises the findings of existing
work in this area.
The study used 64 in-depth interviews
and over 840 questionnaires with young
people aged 14 - 17 years to obtain
research data and only those young people
reporting experiences of 'risky' drinking
were actually interviewed. Most of the
young people described their reasons for
getting drunk in positive terms,
emphasising the belief that getting drunk is
a beneficial thing to do. Their motivations
fell under 3 themes including social
facilitation; individual benefits and social
norms and influences.
Some of the main findings include:
• Most of the young people reported
positive reasons for getting drunk.
• The most frequently cited motivation
was increased confidence in social and
sexual situations.
• Other motivations included getting
drunk to ‘escape’ and forget problems,
to achieve a ‘buzz’, and for ‘something
to do’.
Other motivations
“ included getting
drunk to ‘escape’ and
forget problems,
to achieve a ‘buzz’,
and for ‘something
to do’.
April 2005
” www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/
• Getting drunk was widely seen as
normal and acceptable. The young
people reported the important
influence of friends, ranging from
actual peer pressure to the less overt,
although more common, ‘peer
guidance’. They also reported the
respect and image associated with
getting drunk as a motivating factor.
• The young people often reported
harmful outcomes of being drunk,
with health-related effects being the
most commonly cited. These included
regretted sexual experiences, injuries
sustained through accidents and
fighting and instances of intoxication
and drug taking. They also reported
experiences that threatened their
personal safety. These included walking
home alone at night, daring behaviour,
pranks and dangerous driving.
• Being in trouble with the police was
occasionally reported, although the
majority of incidents were minor and
the result of being caught
drunk outdoors.
• The young people attributed ‘risky’
drinking to these harmful outcomes in
a variety of ways. Accounts of alcohol
leading to a loss of inhibitions,
impaired judgement and complete loss
of control were reported. Using
alcohol as an excuse for socially
unacceptable behaviour was apparent.
• Those most prone to harmful
outcomes were 14 and 15 year-olds,
who got drunk in unsupervised
locations, especially outdoor settings
and those who reported getting drunk
for the ‘buzz’.
Copies of the findings and full report priced
£14.95 plus £2.00 p&p and published in
February 2005 are available from the
Joseph Rowntree Foundation, The Homestead,
40, Water End, York, North Yorkshire YO30 6WP
Tel: 01904 629241 Fax: 01904 620072
E-mail: publications@jrf.org.uk
Copies can also be downloaded via the website:
socialpolicy/0045.asp
Research 37

Copies of the full report and
related findings, published in
January 2005 are available free
of charge from the
Direct Communications Unit,
7th Floor, Horseferry House,
Dean Ryle Street,
London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585
Fax: 020 7035 3289
E-mail: publications.rds@
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Copies can also be viewed and
downloaded from the Home
Office Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
rds/pdfs05/hors275.pdf
(full report)
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
rds/pdfs05/r244.pdf
(findings).
38 Research
Offending in England and Wales: first
results from the 2003 Crime and
Justice Survey
Home Office Research Study 275 and Findings 244
This report and related findings presents
the first results from the 2003 Crime and
Justice Survey (C&JS). This is a new
national survey involving around 12,000
people aged between 10 and 65 living in
private households in England and Wales.
The C&JS collected information on the
extent of lifetime and last year offending. It
also looked at drug and alcohol use,
attitudes to and contact with the criminal
justice system and experiences of victimi-
sation. This report focuses on offending
behaviour and concentrates on 20 ‘core’
offences, which were measured by the
survey including property offences, violent
offences and drugs. Some of the key points
include:
• Although a substantial proportion
admitted committing a core offence at
least once in their lives (41%),
offending in the last year was less
common (10%).Young people,
especially males, are most likely to be
active (‘last year’) offenders.
• Serious and prolific offending in the
last year is less common still. Again it is
concentrated among teenagers. Around
25% of 14 to 17 year-old males
were classified as serious or prolific
offenders (13% for females of
that age).
• The C&JS estimates that there were 3.8
million active offenders in England and
Young people, crime and anti-social
behaviour: findings from the 2003 Crime
and Justice Survey
Home Office Findings 245
The 2003 Crime and Justice Survey (C&JS) also asked young people aged 10 to 25 about
their involvement in anti-social behaviour. Types of behaviour asked about included:
• Noisy or rude behaviour in a public place.
• Joyriding.
• Behaviour leading to a neighbour complaining.
• Carrying some form of weapon.
• Graffiti.
• Racial harassment (attacked/threatened/rude).
Wales. A small minority of the most
prolific offenders were responsible for
the vast majority of offences. Just 2%
of the whole sample (26% of active
offenders) accounted for 82% of all
offences measured.
• The C&JS confirms that most offences
are not formally sanctioned. However,
a substantial minority of offenders are
and in particular the most serious. A
third of those who had committed a
serious offence in their lifetime had
been arrested at some point.
• The most common reasons given for
ceasing to offend were that "I knew it
was wrong" and "I grew up/settled
down", suggesting a natural maturing
process. However, for some offences, a
substantial minority gave being caught
by the police or fear that this could
happen as reasons for stopping.
• Drug use is rarely a factor when it
comes to offending in the general
population. Just 2% of incidents were
committed because the offender was
under the influence of drugs and only
1% of current drug users said they had
committed a crime to buy drugs. These
results reflect the type of offenders
(often minor) and drug users (often
recreational) picked up in a general
household survey. Prolific drug
offenders are unlikely to be picked up.
April 2005
Research has shown a link between low-level delinquency and more serious offending.
Anti-social behaviour can itself be a concern, particularly if people view it as a sign of more
serious crime risks and it results in social and economic costs. Previous evidence suggests
that such behaviour is concentrated among young people.
Some of the key points in these findings include:
• 29% of young people said they had committed at least one act of anti-social behaviour in
the previous year.
• The most common anti-social behaviour was causing a public disturbance (15%), Copies of this report, published
followed by causing ‘neighbour complaints’ (13%). More serious incidents such as in January 2005 are available
joyriding and carrying a weapon were much less common. free of charge from the Direct
• Of those responsible for anti-social behaviour, the majority (68%) only committed one Communications Unit, 7th
type of behaviour. Only 9% (2.4% of the sample) committed 3 or more different types. Floor, Horseferry House, Dean
• Males reported higher levels of anti-social behaviour across all types of behaviour. A Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW
third of males admitted at least one behaviour, compared with a fifth of females. Tel: 0870 000 1585
• 14 to 16 year olds were more likely to commit anti-social behaviour than other age Fax: 020 7035 3289
groups. 40% reported at least one act of anti-social behaviour in the last 12 months. E-mail: publications.rds@
• The following factors were strongly associated with anti-social behaviour: disruptive homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
school environment; delinquent peers; drug use; risky alcohol use; negative relationship Copies can also be viewed and
with parents; ‘delinquent’ personality traits; living in a household in financial downloaded from the Home
difficulties; living in a high disorder area and being a victim of crime. Office Website:
• About 17% of young people had committed anti-social behaviour but no more serious www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
offence. 12% of young people had committed both anti-social behaviour and offences. rds/pdfs05/r245.pdf
9% had committed offences, but no anti-social behaviour.

The victimisation of young people:

findings from the Crime and Justice
Survey 2003
Home Office Findings 246

The Crime and Justice Survey 2003 provided an opportunity to speak to young people about
whether they had been victims of crime in the previous year. This report focuses on the
experiences of personal crime among those aged 10 to 15. Key findings include:
• 35% of young people aged 10 to 15 had experienced at least one personal crime in the
previous 12 months. This was about the same level as for those aged 16 to 25 (32%) and
well above those aged 26 to 65 (14%).
• The types of crime that young people experienced changed with age. Robbery and thefts Copies of this report, published
from the person were less common experiences, for instance, for 10 to 11 year olds than in January 2005 are available
for 16 to 17 year olds, but other thefts were more common. Differences in the free of charge from the Direct
proportion of young people experiencing assaults were not statistically significant but Communications Unit, 7th
were higher than for those over 21 years. Floor, Horseferry House, Dean
• The degree of repeat victimisation for violent offences was particularly high for young Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW
people with 19% of 10 to 15 year olds experiencing 5 or more incidents in the previous Tel: 0870 000 1585
12 months. Fax: 020 7035 3289
• Offending by young people was the factor most strongly associated with them being E-mail: publications.rds@
victims of personal crime. Other underlying risk factors were the presence of anti-social homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
behaviour in their local area, being male and committing anti-social behaviour. Copies can also be viewed and
• There was no difference in the level of overall personal crime victimisation between downloaded from the Home
young people in different ethnic groups. Within specific types of crime, young white Office Website:
people were more likely to have been victims of assault than black and minority ethnic www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
young people but were less likely to have been victims of robbery. rds/pdfs05/r246.pdf

April 2005 Research 39

 Children, risk and crime: the On Track
Youth Lifestyles Surveys
Home Office Research Study 278
The On Track Youth Lifestyles Surveys were
undertaken as part of the National
Evaluation of the On Track multiple inter-
vention programme, which targeted 4 to
12 year olds and their families in 24 high
deprivation/high crime areas in England
and Wales. This programme aims to reduce
children’s risk of offending and
involvement in anti-social behaviour as
well as enhancing those factors that
counteract the impact of risk.
The On Track surveys obtained self
report data from over 30,000 young people
in both primary and secondary schools
relating to their experiences of family,
schools, neighbourhoods and friendship
groups, together with details of their
involvement in problem behaviours
ranging from truancy to crime to drug and
alcohol use. The age of respondent children
in secondary schools ranged from 10 to 16,
with over 90% being aged between 12 and
15. The ages of the primary school children
ranged from 7 to 11 with the majority
(77%) being aged between 9 and 11.
The key findings in this report include:
• Overall, 52% of Secondary School
children in the On Track areas reported
involvement in offending in the last 12
months (55% of boys and 49%
of girls).
• Most commonly reported types of
offending were vandalism, stealing and
receiving stolen goods. The main
contributory factors to these offences
were high risk of friends’ involvement
in problem behaviour and high risk of
holding conflictual attitudes.
...that there are considerable
“
difficulties encountered in
establishing causal relationships
between risk and offending
”
40 Research
• Girls (32%) were as likely to commit
vandalism as boys (33%). There was
only a small difference in the number
of boys (29%) reporting stealing
compared with girls (25%).
• Three-quarters of children reported
that drugs were moderately or easily
available in their communities.
• The risk domains of community and
particularly individual/peer factors
were found to be the most important
for addressing criminality amongst
Secondary School pupils.
The report concludes that there are
considerable difficulties encountered in
establishing causal relationships between
risk and offending. This raises particular
problems for policy makers and practi-
tioners in respect of accurately targeting
interventions toward those most likely to
offend and providing the right sort of
interventions to take account of 'type of
offence' as well as 'reducing risk'.
Overall, the findings of the On Track
Youth Lifestyles Surveys support the
objectives of the On Track Programme. The
evidence presented in this report has
provided further validation for the
hypothesis that risk factors are significantly
related to problem behaviour and that
multiple interventions with young people
and their families are likely to impact
positively in reducing risk and the
likelihood of offending.
Copies of this report, published in January 2005
are available free of charge from the
Direct Communications Unit, 7th Floor,
Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street,
London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585
Fax: 020 7035 3289
E-mail: publications.rds@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Copies can also be viewed and downloaded from
the Home Office Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/
pdfs05/hors278.pdf
April 2005
 Rapid assessment of powers to close
'crack houses'
Home Office Development and Practice Report 42

Part 1 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 introduced new powers specifically designed to
close ‘crack houses’. The legislation enables the police to serve a closure notice, with
immediate effect, on premises used in connection with the production of Class A drugs
(associated with the occurrence of disorder or serious nuisance) subject to obtaining a
closure order in court within 48 hours. The new provisions, enacted on 20th January 2004,
are primarily police powers, with a requirement to consult with the relevant local authority
in seeking a closure. Previously, practitioners relied upon powers contained in a number of
pieces of legislation to close ‘crack houses’ with varying degrees of success, (such as the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and Housing Act 1996). These early investigations aim to provide
greater understanding of the application of the powers and the challenges faced in imple-
mentation, and highlight emerging good practice for practitioners nationally.
This report examines the implementation of the new provisions in 4 case study areas and
aimed to examine and compare:
• The processes to close a crack house.
• The rate and speed of closures throughout the process.
• The estimated cost of closures.

The research identified that the new powers had been broadly positive in their effect, in
particular:
• Local practitioners welcome the new powers as an essential addition to the tools available
to tackle Class A drug premises.
• The introduction of legislation targeted specifically at Class A drug premises has
stimulated activity to close ‘crack houses’.
• Both previous and new powers are effective tools in closing down ‘crack houses’. They
are, on occasion, used together and should therefore not be seen as one replacing
the other.
• Early indications are that closure under the new powers can be achieved swiftly, at its
quickest, in less than 48 hours.

The research also highlighted various challenges surrounding the implementation and
use of the powers including:
• A need for enhanced partnership working amongst the various agencies to support
vulnerable residents affected by ‘crack houses’ and the closure process.
• Further improvements are required for training of staff across relevant agencies to ensure
that they are aware of the closure process under the new legislation.
• Blockages within the court process due to adjournments can delay implementation of
the new powers.

Copies of this report, published in January 2005 are available free of charge from the
Direct Communications Unit, 7th Floor, Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585
Fax: 020 7035 3289
E-mail: publications.rds@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Copies can also be viewed and downloaded from the Home Office Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/dpr42.pdf

April 2005 Research 41

 Investing to deliver: reviewing the
implementation of the UK Crime
Reduction Programme
Home Office Research Study 281
This report discusses the findings from a
review of the processes through which the
Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was
implemented. The key lessons detailed in
the report should prove invaluable in
enhancing the implementation of similar
initiatives in the future. The Crime
Reduction Programme had 3 goals:
1. To achieve a sustained reduction
in crime.
2. To improve and mainstream knowledge
of best practice.
3. To maximise the implementation of
cost-effective crime reduction activity.
To achieve these, the CRP worked
through 20 separate, but linked crime
reduction initiatives of varying scale. These
were to be primarily delivered at a local
level through Crime and Disorder
Reduction Partnerships (CDRP).
The Review
The review addressed 3 questions:
1. If the CRP was about the fur ther
development of a crime reduction
evidence base, to what extent has this
evidence base been applied and
extended?
The CRP made extensive use of evidence
available from the Reducing Burglary
Initiative, the Targeted Policing Initiative
and the Offender Management Programme.
However, projects with less direct
involvement with the CRP tended to be less
evidence-based. The lessons learned from
this initiative would also be valuable in
extending the evidence base, although not
as valuable and as extensive as originally
hoped.
2. If the CRP was supposed to stimulate
innovation – has it done so and how?
The focus on innovation all but disappeared
from the programme within 12 months of
it beginning.
3. If the CRP was about increasing crime
reduction activity – has this occurred
and how?
The level of crime reduction activity was
well below the original expectations and
42 Research
projections for the CRP. Some initiatives
had high rates of implementation failure,
so although crime reduction activity
increased, it is clear that programme
delivery requires more input than money
and good plans.
Three common findings emerged from
the review of the range of sub-programmes
that made up the CRP. These were:
1. Difficulties in finding, recruiting and
retaining suitably qualified and skilled staff.
2. Generally inadequate technical and
strategic advice and guidance from the
centre and regions.
3. Inadequate levels of project management
competence and skill, particularly in
financial and resource management.
These in turn were related to a range of
implementation problems including:
• The tendency of the centre to operate
as a 'hands-off' provider of resources,
target setter and passive monitor of
progress meant there was little or no
ability centrally to boost local or
regional capacity.
• An inadequate local supply of people
with the necessary skills to develop and
implement well thought-through
projects. Programmes had to compete
for the limited range of resources
available rather than planning to co-
operate and share them.
• There was a general absence of
leadership across all levels of the
delivery process.
• Ineffective ongoing programme
performance monitoring. Adequate
tools for basic programme
performance monitoring were often
not available.
• Past lessons from previous crime
reduction programmes were ignored
and as a result many avoidable errors
were reproduced.
• Lack of support for translating research
evidence into practice. Evidence
acquired was not translated into
supportive, practical on-the-ground
activities.
April 2005
• Limited flexibility in responding to
external events.
Lessons for future programmes
The review identified 5 key lessons for
improving the effective delivery of future
programmes. These are:
1. Invest to deliver
An adequate development and set-up
capacity and a flexible project management
process are needed. The implementation
process should also be constantly under
review and development.
2. Organise centrally to deliver locally
The centre needs to have a more active and
collaborative role to local delivery through
regional management. What is
recommended is a form of collaborative or
"partnership" arrangement that recognises
the need to share power and responsibility
between all participating parties.
3. Separate research and evaluation
from programme delivery
Management requirements for an effective
research and evaluation programme will
frequently differ from those required for
direct programme implementation. It is
therefore recommended that the research
and programme components of future
crime reduction activity be separated.
4. Build and maintain a knowledge
management system
An effective knowledge management is
essential not only to generate new
knowledge but also to spread usable
knowledge about cost-effective practices. A
further requirement is to develop Copies of this report, published
management information systems to in January 2005 are available
monitor programmes activity and promote free of charge from the
learning. It will also help retain staff Direct Communications Unit,
knowledge in case they leave. 7th Floor, Horseferry House,
5. Create flexible fund management Dean Ryle Street,
models London SW1P 2AW
Traditional fund management and Tel: 0870 000 1585
budgeting models are inadequate. Fax: 020 7035 3289
Alternative approaches need to be E-mail: publications.rds@
developed and implemented that focus on homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
linking inputs to outputs and programme Copies can also be viewed and
activity, together with techniques for downloaded from the Home
measuring and assessing multi-agency Office Website:
initiatives. www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
rds/pdfs05/hors281.pdf

Motor Salvage Operators Regulations

(MSOR) 2002
Home Office

An increasing number of police forces are now effectively using the Motor Salvage Operators
Regulations (see article in the October 2004 Digest), resulting in the recovery of stolen
vehicles, as well as addressing other criminalities.
Approximately 78,000 stolen vehicles and 12,000 the subject of insurance frauds, are
believed to enter the salvage industry every year. The MSOR, introduced in October 2002
(part one of the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001) are beginning to have an impact in those areas
where local authorities and police forces have created a register and where the police For more information contact
effectively enforce the regulations. Ebrima Chongan, Home Office
The regulations require local authority registration of any business involved in Acquisitive Crime Team,
dismantling vehicles or trading in insurance write-offs. Motor salvage operators must pass a Vehicle Crime Reduction
fit and proper person test before their business can be registered and no person may operate Section, 4th Floor Peel,
unless they are registered. In addition, the regulations require operators to keep records of 2 Marsham Street,
purchases and sales and allow police access to premises at any reasonable time without London SW1P 4DF
warrant to inspect vehicles or records. Forces have worked with local authority contacts to Tel: 020 7035 1430
enforce the regulations in respect of unregistered operators, but there are still local Fax: 0870 336 9139
authorities that have yet to set up a register. or visit the Motor Salvage
In June 2004, MORI undertook a survey of local authorities and the police to determine Operators Regulations Tool Kit
how they are complying with the regulations. A follow up MORI survey will take place in on the Crime Reduction
May 2005 to determine the extent to which local authorities have improved in keeping Website:
registers and how the police are vetting individuals applying to be registered, while www.crimereduction.
exercising the new enforcement powers. gov.uk/msoOO.htm

April 2005 Research 43

 The Reducing Burglary Initiative: design,
development and delivery
Home Office Research Study 287

The Reducing Burglary Initiative (RBI) was primarily set up to encourage domestic burglary
reduction activity in communities most at risk of burglary across England and Wales. It was
rolled out in 3 ‘phases’ between 1998 and 2002, with £25 million dispensed in project
grants.
The key objectives of the RBI include:
• To sponsor and facilitate the development of innovative burglary reduction practices.
• To extend the evidence base of what works and what is cost-effective in burglary
reduction, in particular through evaluating the effectiveness of innovative practices.
• To reduce burglary nationally by significantly increasing the volume of burglary
reduction activity in the most victimised communities.
• To reduce burglary cost-effectively and to generate savings through reducing its
associated costs.

This report is based on an evaluation of 20 ‘Phase I’ projects funded in the West

Midlands, South West, South East, London and Wales conducted by an evaluation consortium
led by South Bank University, together with a Home Office evaluation of nearly 100 Phase II
projects across England and Wales. This ‘Southern evaluation consortium’ was one of 3
evaluation consortia contracted to evaluate Phase I projects, with a further 42 projects being
evaluated by consortia covering the ‘North’ and the ‘Midlands’ respectively. Separate reports
are being prepared on the impact and cost-effectiveness of the RBI by each of these three
consortia.
The report is concerned with the processes involved in putting the initiative into place
and in running RBI projects. The aim of the research is to assess the adequacy of the
programme design, as put into operation and to provide policy makers, policy advisers and
researchers, with lessons for guiding future crime reduction programme design and
development.

Copies of this report, published in January 2005 are available free of charge from the
Direct Communications Unit, 7th Floor, Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW
Tel: 0870 000 1585
Fax: 020 7035 3289
E-mail: publications.rds@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Copies can also be viewed and downloaded from the Home Office Website:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hors287.pdf

44 Research April 2005

 The Digest - previous issues

January 2005
• Tackling domestic violence
• On the beat with Mark & Eddie at Wythenshaw FM
• Boro Buzz
• SuperKids Evaluation
• Safer homes
• Car clear scheme
• Criminology corner

October 2004
• The Tilley Award Winners 2004
• Community Safety Booklets
• Improving Confidence in Justice
• Out on the town - and out of control? Reducing alcohol-related crime and disorder
• Identity Theft Prevention Website
• Annual Youth Justice Convention 2004
• Assessing the impact of the Reducing Burglary Initiative in southern England and Wales

July 2004
• Burglaries & Crime in Student Campus Accommodation
• Grand in the Hand Helps Tackle Anti-social Behaviour
• National Domestic Violence Helpline
• Questionnaire on Community Safety Qualifications
• Vehicle Crime Information Pack
• Card Fraud Prevention Leaflet
• Safer Places: The Planning System and
Crime Prevention

April 2004
• Cannabis is STILL illegal
• Avon & Somerset put Bristol's students in space
• Watch Over Me
• Operation Eskell
• Safer Homes Initiative
• International Community Justice Awards
• Best Practice? Finding your way through the fog

You can view this edition of the Digest and previous issues at:
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/digest.htm

April 2005 The Digest - previous issues