crn

JUNE 2005
crime reduction news

VEHICLE UNDERCLASS
Removing abandoned
and burnt out cars

FOCUS ON EUROPE
How do British crime
strategies compare?

Seen
and heard
Schedule of measures aims to
bring domestic violence out from
behind closed doors
CONTENTS

Welcome The most recent figures on domestic violence make

depressing reading. Two women are killed every
week in England and Wales by a current or former partner. One woman in four is
physically abused during her lifetime. The Government has made it clear that it takes
the problem of domestic violence very seriously indeed. The 2004 Domestic Violence
Crime and Victims Act has created a new offence of familial homicide, and the Act
is designed to cover all violent incidents in the home, especially if they involve children
or vulnerable adults. There is still a long way to go, but programmes for perpetrators
which address violent behaviour and seek to change it are also proving invaluable.
The spotlight is also on another issue affecting families – women offenders. Like the
perpetrators of domestic violence, women offenders can be caught up in a spiral of
destructive behaviour, with devastating effects for their children and families. New
initiatives and cash have been made available to stop the cycle of reoffending, with
the Home Office’s Women’s Offending Reduction Programme playing a key role.

The Crime Reduction News team

Inside… Plus...
Special report 11-15
News Features
3 Closing crack houses 9 Focus on Europe
4 New offence of familial homicide How do British crime strategies
compare to those of other EU states?
5 Online centre for child protection
6 Extra security for pensioners
10 One-stop shop for women offenders
New initiatives aim to help women
7 Police update offenders stay out of prison
22 Volunteering update 16 Victims’ code
2005 is the Year of the Volunteer, and The Home Office wants your views
volunteers are in line for awards on its Victims’ Code of Practice
19 Youth crime prevention
An apprentice scheme is keeping
Regulars young offenders out of trouble
Domestic violence
15 Comment 20 The vehicle underclass ● Creating safe houses for women
Programmes for the perpetrators A multi-agency approach can tackle
● New initiatives in the classroom
of domestic violence are essential the problem of abandoned cars
● Employers against domestic violence
18 How to...
● Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act
...regenerate local communities

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2 Crime Reduction News

 UPDATE

update
ALSO INSIDE CRIME & DISORDER ACT REVIEW, INTELLIGENCE-LED POLICING
FAMILIAL HOMICIDE LOOPHOLE, AIRWAVE RADIO TECHNOLOGY

Partners key
to closing ‘crack houses’ NEWS
IN BRIEF
Clean-up raises
public profile
Offenders across the UK
got their hands dirty as
part of a Government
initiative to give the public
a say on how community
punishment should
benefit their local area,
and raise awareness on
community sentencing.
Offenders were put
to work on a variety of
projects ranging from
installing community
safety features in council
estates to clearing up
cemeteries. Every year
offenders serving
community punishment
orders carry out more
than 5.5 million hours
Partnership work is the key to making sure ‘crack including homelessness, are tackled more effectively.” of unpaid work.
houses’ are closed down according to new research. Agencies involved in drugs den closures include the A new community
A ‘crack house’ or drug den is a premises where class A courts, local authority housing and social services order was introduced
drugs (not just crack cocaine) are used, supplied or departments, the police and drugs treatment agencies. in April. The sentence
manufactured. Such premises attract anti-social The Crackdown Project in Hackney, a two-year includes provision for
behaviour and are often in crime hot spots. project funded by the Home Office, is an example a range of requirements
The crime reduction charity Crime Concern, who of good practice. A dedicated and highly skilled team including unpaid work,
carried out the research for the Home Office, said that was set up to enforce the closure of drugs dens and mental health, drug
for the new powers to be effective over the long term deal with prevention and resettlement issues. This and alcohol treatment,
all the agencies must work closely together. meant that the wide variety of problems that arise exclusion and curfew
Crime Concern senior consultant Lizzie Peters said: from closures – such as housing; welfare rights; access orders and behavioural
“The research has proved that the new powers can be to detox, rehabilitation and social services – could all programmes.
used to close drugs dens swiftly, and tackle associated be dealt with in a reasonable time frame. For more information
anti-social behaviour. Where all agencies work closely The Rapid Assessment of Powers to Close ‘Crack on community sentences,
and involve local community members, closures are Houses’ Report can be found at www.homeoffice.gov. see www.probation.
more sustainable and the associated problems, uk/rds/pdfs05/dpr42.pdf homeoffice.gov.uk
ALAMY

Crime Reduction News 3

UPDATE

CRIME Faith in the system

STATISTICS FAIR TREATMENT WINS PUBLIC CONFIDENCE VOTE

T KEY FIGURES
he risk of being a victim of crime is now at its lowest
level since the British Crime Survey (BCS) began in
1981. Figures released in April for the period October– Total crime Gun crime
December 2004 show the risk of being a victim of crime is now BCS crime is down 11 per cent. Increase of ten per cent in overall
24 per cent. Other good news is that there has been a reduction Police recorded crime is down five firearms offences.
of 17 per cent in domestic burglary and 16 per cent in vehicle per cent. The increase is mainly due to offences
thefts recorded by the police. The BCS shows that there has also involving imitation weapons.
been a reduction in all household crime and all personal crime Domestic burglary
compared with the year to December 2003. BCS interviews BCS fell by 15 per cent. Vehicle crime
reveal that the fear of crime has fallen compared with the Police recorded fell by 17 per cent. BCS fell by 17 per cent.
previous year. The proportion of adults who have a high level of Police recorded fell by 16 per cent.
worry about violent crime fell from 18 per cent to 16 per cent. Robbery
The number of crimes recorded by police fell by five per cent Police recorded fell by six per cent. Fear of crime
and BCS crime is down 11 per cent. The reduction in total The BCS reveals that the fear of
recorded crime has remained consistent over the previous three Violent crime crime has fallen year on year.
quarters. The figures show a ten per cent increase in violence Police recorded increase of Adults who have a high level of worry
against the person but increases in recorded violence continue ten per cent in violence against the about violent crime fell by two
to reflect the improved police recording of crime. There was person. percentage points to 16 per cent.
also an increase of ten per cent in firearms offices compared Increases in police figures for violent
with the previous year. This increase is mainly due to offences crime continue to reflect the improved Victimisation rate
involving imitation weapons. police recording of crime. Over the The BCS shows the risk of being
In previous years, BCS interviews have revealed a high level of past three years there have been a victim of is at 24 per cent – the
anxiety amongst the public about anti-social behaviour. The significant changes to the way violent lowest level since the British Crime
latest figures show this has remained stable. However, the crime is recorded. Much of what is Survey (BCS) began in 1981.
proportion of people who perceived abandoned or burnt-out recorded as violent crime involves
cars to be a very or fairly big problem fell from 17 per cent to little or no physical injury to the
12 per cent. Figures also show that more than three-quarters of victim.
the public (78 per cent) were confident that the criminal justice
system respected the right of people accused of committing
crimes and treated them fairly.

Familial homicide offence to close loophole

A new offence of causing or allowing the
death of a child or vulnerable adult has
now come into force.
The new offence of familial homicide,
introduced in the Domestic Violence Crime
and Victims Act 2004, will close a legal
loophole that allows those jointly accused
of the murder of a child or vulnerable
adult to escape justice by remaining
silent or blaming each other.
This measure puts a clear legal
responsibility on adult household
members who have frequent contact
with a child or vulnerable adult to take
reasonable steps to protect the child or
vulnerable adult if they knew, or should
have known, they were at significant risk
of serious physical harm from members
of that household. This should encourage
more people to come forward to report
crimes, and should help crime reduction
partners, such as police and social
services, to intervene at an earlier stage.
An information leaflet has been
produced which can be found at
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs4/annex_fa
milial_homicide.pdf
Attracting more people
to Neighbourhood Watch
Making sure Neighbourhood Watch groups involve
young people, those living in higher crime areas and
people from minority groups, were key themes at the
recent Neighbourhood Watch National Conference.
Held in Nottingham in March, the conference was
attended by a wide range of delegates including police
officers, local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators and
representatives from tenants’ associations.
A number of workshops were held at the event,
including: tackling anti-social behaviour; practical
ways of involving older and younger people in
community initiatives; tackling prolific offenders;
reducing vehicle crime; and practical problem-solving
tips to help community groups reduce crime. For more
details visit www.neighbourhoodwatch.uk.com
ALAMY

4 Crime Reduction News

 UPDATE

Online Centre for

NEWS
Child Protection IN BRIEF
Protecting children against the dangers of abuse is of vital importance to all crime
reduction partners, and a number of key developments designed to further this aim Young people
have taken place over the past few months.
ACPO and the National Centre for Policing Excellence have produced guidance and drugs
on investigating child abuse. It provides operational and tactical advice to ensure The Department of
that child abuse investigations are not perceived as something different from the Health, the Home Office,
investigation of other forms of crime. A copy of the guidance can be found at and the Department for
www.acpo.police.uk Education and Skills are
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary published a thematic inspection entitled working together to
‘Keeping Safe, Staying Safe’ in which it recommends that national performance indicators develop services to
should be introduced for child abuse cases. The report can be found at prevent drug harm.
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic/stayingsafe.pdf ‘Every Child Matters:
The National Crime Squad has launched their own virtual global taskforce website, which offers Change for Children,
advice to children to help them stay safe. Please visit www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com Young People and Drugs’,
The Home Office announced the setting up of the first national centre to protect children online, sets out how agencies
which will be operational by April 2006. The centre will provide a single point of contact for reporting involved in young people’s
online child abuse in the UK and will aim to reduce the harm caused to children, families and services and delivering
communities. For more details visit www.homeoffice.gov.uk/n_story.asp?item_id=1287 the Government’s drug
strategy can co-operate
to deliver comprehensive
Celebrities campaign responses to drug users.
Please visit www.drugs.
against bogus callers gov.uk and www.every
childmatters.gov.uk
Some familiar faces of TV, stage and screen have teamed up as part
of a Home Office campaign to advise older people on how to avoid
becoming victim to bogus callers.
Report on
Angela Rippon, Terry Wogan, Gloria Hunniford, Esther Rantzen vehicle arson
and Saeed Jaffrey are just some of the names who have lent their As many as 50 per cent of
support to the Lock, Stop, Chain and Check campaign. The campaign vehicle fires occur where
is also backed by ACPO, Help the Aged, the Royal British Legion, CAB, vehicles have been
Age Concern and Gala Bingo. reported stolen due to
Thousands of leaflets and stickers are being distributed to older people attempts to destroy
to help ensure they know and follow the simple steps to doorstep security. forensic evidence ,
according to a new report.
‘Vehicle Fires: Explaining
New handbook Second police guide to The Rise in Vehicle Arson’
explores the link between
to assist victims problem-oriented policing vehicle fires, abandoned
vehicles and vehicle theft.
A handbook offering help and A new guide which provides help and advice for The report is at:
advice to adult victims of sexual the police on problem-oriented policing has been www.crimereduction.gov.
violence has been produced by produced. uk/vehiclecrime50.htm
Rights of Women, a not-for-profit ‘The Problem-oriented Guides for Police:
organisation, and the Child and Problem-Solving Tools Series No 2’ is designed to
Woman Abuse Studies Unit at save time and effort and help find out what works for CRC to close
London Metropolitan University. problem-oriented policing. The Home Office has
The Home Office-funded The new guide summarises knowledge about announced the closure
handbook is written from the information gathering and analysis techniques to of the Crime Reduction
victims' perspective, and brings help across the stages of a problem-oriented project: Centre (CRC), which
together information and advice scanning, analysis, response and assessment (SARA). trained community safety
on reporting sexual violence. The guide is designed to aid fast information practitioners, after an
‘From Report to Court – A gathering and to help make the best use of the independent review.
Handbook for Adult Survivors of information in order to identify responses. Among The facility will close by
Sexual Violence’ can be found at: the wealth of information included in the guide September of this year.
www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/ are the top five most useful websites. See See www.crimereduction.
publications.html www.crimereduction.gov.uk/policing09 gov.uk/crcclosure

Crime Reduction News 5

UPDATE

Locks drive a success

The Locks for Pensioners initiative was set up in
1999 to provide extra security to households with
older people in England and Wales. It ran in
conjunction with the Defra Home Energy
Efficiency Scheme, which aimed to tackle fuel
poverty through providing home heating and
insulation improvements.
Households would be given extra security
under Locks for Pensioners if they met a set of
eligibility criteria, for example: where the
residents were over the age of 60; where they
lacked basic household security; and where they
lived in police Basic Command Unit areas with
burglary rates above the national average.
The extra security included the provision of
either of the following devices:
• mortice locks for all exterior doors;
• deadlocking rim-locks for main/
front doors; viewers and security chains
for front doors;
• hinge bolts on outward opening doors; and
• locks for all ground floor or accessible windows.
An evaluation of the scheme examined the
implementation and outcomes of the initiative in
five areas across the country. Some key
findings from the evaluation showed that:
• 85 per cent of recipients felt reassured after the
new security was installed and felt that it
would help prevent burglaries;
• 82homes
per cent reported feeling safer in their
after the work was completed.
Learning points highlighted
Whilst the majority of the recipient findings were
positive, 22 per cent of recipients reported feeling
worried about burglary even after the installation
of the new security, and some recipients of the
new door chains experienced difficulty in how to
use the equipment correctly.
The evaluation highlighted a number of
learning points for projects set up to help tackle
burglary involving older people. First, when
installing extra security in households where the
residents are older, it is important to ensure that
the fitters installing the security equipment
ensure recipients understand how to work the
devices. This will make sure that the impact and
usefulness of the security measures are
maximised. Secondly, it is important to ensure
that partnerships and local businesses working
locally where new security equipment is being
installed are fully involved and consulted. This
ensures that local resources are used effectively.
As the initiative focused upon a small minority
of the population, it was not possible to evaluate
whether it had affected burglary rates.
Further information on the evaluation is
available from r.mawby@plymouth.ac.uk

Security for your Prolific offenders

business strategy succeeding
Businesses can get practical information that will help them More than 9,000 prolific and other priority
identify any security risks and take measures to reduce offenders are being jointly targeted by the
crime in a newly published booklet. police, probation and other criminal justice
‘Your Business: Keep Crime Out of It’ has been produced agencies with a further 6,000 being
by the Home Office Crime Reduction Centre in consultation identified as being most at risk of becoming
with ACPO-Secured by Design, the Association of the next generation of prolific offenders.
Convenience Stories, the National Federation of Retail The success of the prolific and other
Newsagents, Rural Shops Alliance, Small Business Council, priority offenders programme, announced
Asian Trader, British Chambers of Commerce, Government a year ago, was the subject of a one-day
Offices in the regions and the Association of British Insurers, conference held in London recently.
under the support and guidance of the Home Office Advice More than 200 representatives of crime and disorder reduction partnerhips,
and Information Working Group. local criminal justice boards, the police, probation and prison services, the courts,
The booklet aims to help drugs and health sectors, local authorities and Job Centre Plus gathered to identify
businesses carry out a security challenges, share best practice and build on successes in tackling offenders.
survey and gives important tips Delegates attended specialised seminars led by Government officials and
on how to make your business leading experts, all aimed at making sure those working to tackle prolific and
more secure. priority offenders have the practical and strategic knowledge to move the
For a copy of the booklet visit Government’s programme forward, to help cut crime.
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/ The conference emphasised the importance of partnership working and the
business40.htm four challenges for the future which were identified were:
To order a hard copy of the • Establishing a Criminal Justice premium service in every area
booklet email
homeoffice@prolog.uk.com
• Ensuring every area has a dedicated Prolific and other Priority Offenders
team, either co-located or virtual
or telephone 0870 241 4680, • Ensuring that effective information sharing arrangements are in place
quoting reference 3/05 YB1. • Ensuring there is a robust performance management system in place.

6 Crime Reduction News


Transforming witness care
More than 100 specialist Witness Care Units will be set
up by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and police
by the end of the year with the aim of transforming
the support provided to victims and witnesses across
England and Wales.
The units will provide a more co-ordinated response
to witness care than ever before through the £36 million
No Witness No Justice project, a joint Crown Prosecution
Service and police initiative supported by the Office for
Criminal Justice Reform and the Prime Minister’s Office
for Public Service Reform (OPSR).
By the end of March, all 42 criminal justice areas across
England and Wales will have at least one of the new units
in operation. Approximately 165 units will be opened by
GETTY
POLICE UPDATE
the end of the year.
The Witness Care Units provide a single point of
contact for victims and witnesses for the first time. A
needs assessment is carried out on all witnesses to identify
problems that would prevent the witness attending court
to give evidence, such as childcare or transport problems,
language difficulties, disabilities or particular concerns
such as intimidation.
The Witness Care Units then assist, organising the
support that the witness needs, including referral on
to other organisations. The Witness Care Units also
provide the witness with regular updates on progress
and tell them the outcome of the case, explaining what
any sentence means.
Crime Reduction News 7
 POLICE UPDATE

Beatcrime website
connects police and public
Police authorities are now duty bound under the Serious Organised
Crime and Police Act to provide a local policing summary to local
households at least once a year. According to the Home Office the
newsletter must incorporate a set of minimum standards, which are in
the process of being defined by stakeholders. The object is to improve
community engagement in policing and accessibility.
Some police authorities have already taken steps to improve the
level of information that is available to the public. West Yorkshire Police
Authority has launched its Beatcrime website, which allows users to
find out information about crime in their local area. By either typing First step to a national database
in their postcode or clicking through a map of the force area using a
mouse, users are able to find out levels of crime such as burglary and The interim police local cross-
compare the trends to other local areas or against national levels. referencing database, known as
Users are also able to find out how crimes are separated and the I-PLX, has been launched as
recorded and provided with definitions for each crime type. The site a first step towards a national
also features links to information that aims to help prevent people database of information.
from becoming the victim of crime. Information on the site is updated The information held on the
each month and supplied by West Yorkshire Police via its crime and I-PLX database will supplement
incident recording systems. the existing process for the
For more information go to www.beatcrime.info Criminal Record Bureau’s (CRB)
checks, highlighting whether
any force holds relevant
information about an applicant,
not just the force presiding over
the area where an applicant
lives. This will reduce the CRB’s
reliance on an applicant
providing their previous five
addresses and provide a fuller
picture of information across
the country.
I-PLX is a standalone
database, developed and
maintained by the CRB in
conjunction with its private
sector partner Capita. Forces
will feed nominal information
such as names, addresses and
dates of birth into the database
and continue to update and
refresh this information.
CRB will cross-refer each
Enhanced Disclosure application
against this database to identify
which, if any, force holds
information on an applicant.
If an applicant’s data matches
that of the I-PLX, the force
holding that information will be
contacted to consider its release
as part of the Disclosure service.
Nominal Data will be provided
by each force from a range of
relevant police systems,
including Intelligence, Custody,
Crime (suspects and offenders
only), Domestic Violence
(suspects and offenders only),
Firearms (refused and revoked
certificate holders only) and
Child Protection systems.
The database complies with
Bichard recommendations,
set up following the conviction
of murderer Ian Huntley.

Swansea opens ‘virtual’ police station

The UK's first ‘virtual’ police station has been
opened in Swansea, South Wales, in a bid to give
the public around-the-clock access to officers.
Visitors to the station lobby kiosk in the
Mumbles area will be given out-of-hours access
to a range of services, including a webcam link to
the regional control room so that they can speak
face to face with an officer. They will also be able
to contact their local community officer via email.
The kiosk is designed to overcome problems of
accessibility for smaller stations located in areas
that have variable population levels. The
population in the Mumbles area swells three-fold
or more during the spring to autumn months,
and is a haven for weekend visitors throughout
the year.
Launching the kiosk, South Wales Chief
Constable Barbara Wilding said: “I fully recognise
that many people find it difficult to attend a
police station during office hours, and find it
inconvenient to have to travel to one of our
larger stations after 5pm.”
The security features protecting the virtual
station and the police station itself also mean
that anyone who considers themselves to be in
danger can access the kiosk area and be
monitored by the CCTV, while a response vehicle
is deployed to help.
The kiosk technology was supplied by BT.
Mumbles Police Station has been renovated to
accommodate this new development and is the
first station to be badged and branded to meet
the chief’s new guidelines on making the force’s
stations more visible and accessible.
GETTY

8 Crime Reduction News


Focus on
HOW DO BRITISH CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGIES
Europe
COMPARE WITH THOSE OF OTHER EU COUNTRIES?
I
n July the UK will take over the presidency of the
European Union. It’s hoped that cooperation with
other member countries will make inroads into the
numbers of cars in the UK being stolen for export. The
British Crime Survey found that 241,000 vehicles were stolen
in 2003/04, and it’s estimated that up to 30 per cent of the
vehicles that weren’t subsequently recovered were exported.
Although the numbers of stolen vehicles going abroad
from the UK are relatively low, the vehicles involved are
often the more expensive models. And across the EU some
1.2 million motor vehicles are stolen every year. In 2004
the Dutch government launched an EU-wide initiative
to tackle car theft head-on. The initiative, titled ‘The EU
Council Decision on Tackling Vehicle Crime with Cross-
border Implications’, has been designed to strengthen the
prevention and detection of cross-border vehicle crime
through the sharing of information, principally between
member states’ police forces, customs and border officials.
‘The Decision’, as it’s now come to be known, requires
Members States to nominate a national contact point for
tackling vehicle crime, which in the UK will be fulfilled by
the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS). The
Decision was agreed by the EU Council of Ministers in
December 2004. As the standards for tackling vehicle crime
are raised across the EU and it becomes much easier for
stolen vehicles that are exported to be identified – and
subsequently repatriated to their member state – it’s hoped
that the Decision will bring a whole new international
dimension to the phrase ‘driving down crime’.
Mobile phones
But how do our crime reduction strategies compare with
those of other member states? One area where the UK is
definitely in the vanguard is mobile phone crime, where a
Resources A copy of the Police Research paper ‘Vehicle Crime Reduction: Turning the Corner’,
is available online at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/prgpdfs/fprs119.pdf
FEATURE
programme involving the Government, the police and the
phone industry is helping to make phone users safer.
Around half of all street crimes in the UK involve the
theft of a mobile phone. The Government has worked in
partnership with police and the mobile phone industry to
address the problem. As part of their approach, there will
be a database of lost and stolen phones. The database will
allow phones reported as lost or stolen to be blocked across
all UK networks by referring to the handset’s unique
identifying International Mobile Equipment Identity
(IMEI) number. This will make them useless to thieves.
The Government has passed legislation (the Mobile
Telephones (Reprogramming) Act 2002) to make it illegal
both to reprogramme a phone’s IMEI number, or to
possess or supply the equipment needed to reprogramme
phones with the intention of doing so. Also launched has
been a national campaign, under the Immobile Phone
Crime banner, to encourage the public to register their
phones, which will help the police to identify stolen
handsets. Then there is the National Mobile Phone Crime
Unit, dedicated to addressing mobile phone theft.
Leading by example
Thanks to measures to publicise the work done in the UK,
other countries within the EU and beyond are beginning
to realise the seriousness of the problem and starting
to take action. They are now considering passing their
own legislation to address the reprogramming of mobile
phones, bearing the British example in mind, and are also
pressing their network operators to sign up to the database
of lost and stolen phones.
Through the EU, the UK has lobbied to encourage more
mobile phone manufacturers to incorporate more security
features in their handset designs. To this end, security
principles have been agreed that will benefit not just the
UK, but countries worldwide. Mobile phone theft is not
just a UK issue – it is a cross-border problem, with links to
organised crime networks: joined-up action is essential.
Crime Reduction News 9
 FEATURE
CASE STUDY
The new ‘one-stop-shops’
will learn from existing
community initiatives,
such as the 218 Project
in Glasgow and the Asha
Centre in Worcester.
Asha Centre Manager
Jenny Roberts explains
that the aim of the centre
is to give disadvantaged
women access to the
resources they need,
such as further education,
parenting and training to
raise their self-esteem.
Tracey Williams was
convicted of supplying
Class C drugs to a minor
and given 12 months’
probation. Attending
the Asha Centre was a
condition of her sentence.
“The Asha Centre helped
me put my life back on
track. I had been on drugs,
lost interest in life and
my three children were
on the ‘at risk’ register.
“I felt safe there; not
pressured or judged. I
did assertiveness and
employability courses – in
fact, now I’m sometimes
even overly confident!”
Contact Women’s Policy Team womenspolicyteam@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk or 020 7035 0014 | Asha Centre,
provider of resources for disadvantaged women ashaproject@btconnect.com or 01905 767552 | 218, Glasgow-based
organisation offering services to women offenders and their families info@218.org.uk or 0141 3316200
10 Crime Reduction News
MORE MONEY AND NEW INITITIATIVES ARE PART
OF A RADICAL OVERHAUL TO TACKLE CRIME
COMMITTED BY WOMEN, REPORTS LOUISE CLARKE
P
lans are underway to tackle women’s offending
by funding ‘one-stop shop’ solutions in the
community. Tackling women’s offending has
become one of the Government’s key priorities
for the criminal justice system and radical new approaches
to deal with the issue are being given a cash injection of
£9.15 million from the Home Office.
The new initiatives will be set up in two areas and will
include women’s community supervision and support
centres, where multi-disciplinary teams of mentors and
caseworkers will guide women offenders through tailored
support networks designed to tackle issues such as drug
abuse, housing, childcare, mental health problems and
domestic violence.
The aim is to reduce the use of custody for women
offenders and to ensure that probation services, police,
courts, local authorities and voluntary organisations
work together to provide the right interventions.
“This is the first time the Government has allocated
funding specifically to tackle women’s offending,” said
Home Secretary Charles Clarke. “I am concerned about
the increase in the women’s prison population in recent
years and the wider impact and disruption this has on
their children and families.”
Community rehabilitation
The funding announcement coincided with the One Year
Review of the Fawcett Society’s ‘Commission on Women
and the Criminal Justice System’, which pressed for reform
One-stop shops for
women offenders
in the treatment of women offenders. The Fawcett Society
campaigns for equality between men and women and will
be actively involved in the one-stop support initiative.
The Commission’s work examined the experience of
women as victims and witnesses, women accused and
convicted of offences and women working in the Criminal
Justice System. Its conclusions that ‘prison does not work’
for most women and that rehabilitation is a better
solution have influenced decisions to introduce
community support centres.
WORP plays a key role
The Home Office Women’s Offending Reduction
Programme (WORP) also plays a key role in improving
how women are dealt with at every stage of the criminal
justice process, from arrest to sentencing to resettlement.
WORP aims to ensure that custody is only used for
those who really need it and that community rehabilitation
is an option for the majority of women offenders. This
follows a decade in which the female prison population
increased far more quickly than that of men – up 173
per cent since 1993, compared to 49 per cent for men.
Clearly, this trend must be reversed in view of the
high level of suicides and self-harm in women’s prisons,
and the effect on the 17,000 children a year whose lives
are disrupted. WORP and the new funding are crucial if
the issues affecting why women offend are to be tackled
early on, preventing a cycle of disadvantage being
perpetuated.
CREDIT
 SPECIAL
REPORT Domestic violence
ALSO INSIDE: HELP FROM EMPLOYERS AND CHANGES TO THE LAW
Creating
safe houses
THE GOVERNMENT IS LEADING A MULTI-AGENCY DRIVE
TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
M
arch 2004 was National
Domestic Violence month.
The Government defines
domestic violence as: ‘Any
incident of threatening behaviour, violence or
abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial
or emotional) between adults who are or have
been intimate partners or family members,
regardless of gender or sexuality.’ This includes
issues of concern to black and minority ethnic
communities such as so called ‘honour killings’.
To kick-start the month’s activities, Baroness
Scotland announced a £1 million cash boost to
support the setting up of 25 specialist domestic
violence courts that will provide vital support
to victims. The first seven have shown to have
a significant effect in increasing the numbers
of perpetrators brought to justice. For example,
withdrawals before trial at the Croydon court
have fallen from 25 per cent to 6 per cent.
March also saw some of the big corporate
names come together at a seminar in London
to launch the UK Corporate Alliance Against
Domestic Violence (CAADV) and the UK
employers’ website on domestic violence. Both
will work to raise awareness and reduce the
Contact Women’s Aid, the national domestic violence charity, www.womensaid.org.uk or 0117 944 4411 |
Refuge, UK’s largest single provider of specialist accommodation and support to women and children escaping
domestic violence, www.refuge.org.uk or 020 7395 7700 | 24-hour National Domestic Violence Freephone
Helpline 0808 2000 247
CORBIS
human and economic impact of domestic
violence in the workplace.
Other activities launched in March included:
● Home Office-funded anti-bullying toolkit
for domestic violence to be used by DfES
anti-bullying teams in schools
● Home Office internal awareness campaign,
including posters and leaflets
● Top Shop awareness campaign to support the
24-hour National Domestic Violence
Freephone Helpline that runs in partnership
between Refuge and Women’s Aid
● Helpline promotion on Unipath (Clearblue
Easy pregnancy kits) highlighting links
between pregnancy and domestic violence
● Helpline promotion in Burger King.
The Home Office is working closely with
other central government departments, regional
governments and local partnerships, to ensure
an effective approach to domestic violence.
The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims
Act 2004 marks the biggest overhaul in
domestic violence legislation for 30 years and is
key to putting victims at the heart of the CJS.
Domestic violence measures in the Act roll
out gradually from April 2005 and will:
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE FACTS
Although domestic violence is chronically
underreported, research shows:
● Two women are killed each week in
England and Wales by a current or
former partner
● One woman in four is physically abused
by a partner during her lifetime
● Women aged 19 to 29 reported more
violence by intimates than any other
age group
● 30 per cent of domestic violence either
starts or will intensify during pregnancy
● In 90 per cent of domestic violence
incidents, children were in the same
or the next room.
Source: Women's Aid domestic violence
census 9 February 2005.
● Make common assault an arrestable offence
● Make it a criminal offence to breach a non-
molestation order
● Give co-habiting same-sex couples the same
access to non-molestation and occupation
orders as opposite-sex couples
● Enable courts to impose restraining orders
when sentencing or on acquittal
● Put in place a system to review domestic-
violence homicide incidents
● Give persons named in restraining orders the
right to make representations in court if a
request is made to vary or terminate the order
● Close a loophole in the law that enables those
co-accused of the death of a child or
vulnerable adult to escape justice by
remaining silent or by blaming each other.
The next year will also see work alongside
the Department of Health to increase early
identification and intervention with domestic-
violence victims, developing national helplines
directed at all victims of domestic violence,
including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
victims and male victims, and a rollout of
domestic-violence training to all Crown
Prosecution Service prosecutors.
DIGITAL VISION
Crime Reduction News 11
 SPECIAL
REPORT

CASE STUDY:
ST ANNE’S
PRIMARY
SCHOOL
Nine-year-old Mohammed
transferred to St Anne’s
Schools
primary school in the middle
of the autumn term due to his
mother relocating. He was a taking
action
quiet boy and didn’t talk about
himself much. He appeared
reluctant to join in group
activities, both within school
and during breaks, and didn’t
seem to make any friends. He
was, however, a good student
and seemed eager to impress
his teacher. This marked him
out as a target for bullies who
NEW INITIATIVES IN THE
were calling him ‘swot’ and CLASSROOM LINK BULLYING
accusing him of being gay. AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The head teacher arranged

ALAMY
to meet with Mohammed’s
mother. When told of
Mohammed’s experiences,

she began to cry and revealed
that their move to the area
had been as a result of her
separating from her violent
husband. She expressed her
feelings of guilt and, because
she was anxious to minimise
the impact on Mohammed,
she had been reminding him
to study hard.
The school decided to
develop a buddy system for
new pupils, allocating two
students to each new arrival
to help them to settle in.
Information on bullying,
including the use of ‘gay’ as
an insult, was also included
in the classroom, and focused
on issues such as ‘what
makes a good friend?’ and
‘what does being a “real man”
mean?’ Mohammad’s mother
was also given information
about the local domestic-
violence survivors group.
S
chools can be the first step in
identifying family violence
and the abuse of pupils, and
can refer cases to social
services. March 2005 saw the launch
of an anti-bullying toolkit for
domestic violence, funded by the
Home Office, that will be used by
Department for Education and
Skills (DfES) anti-bullying teams
operating in schools.
When developing bullying
initiatives it’s important to consider
the issue of domestic violence, as the
two issues are closely linked. For
example, both issues are about the
exploitation of power differentials
and can have a profoundly negative
impact on children’s emotional and
physical wellbeing. That, in turn, can
negatively affect their educational
attainment. Experience in London
schools has shown that addressing
the issue of domestic violence within
schools has a significant impact on
reducing bullying.
A child or young person
experiencing domestic violence may
be bullied at school and be less likely
to tell anyone if ‘permission’ is not
given to speak about such behaviour.
For many pupils, the experience of
domestic violence increases their risk
of being bullied as they may:
abruptly change their location,
leaving behind all their friends and
other support networks; be unable to
fully participate in school life due to
restrictions imposed by the abuse;
appear secretive about their home
life; not be allowed to socialise with
other children and young people.
These factors create a heightened risk
for becoming the target of bullies.
Conversely, a child or young person
experiencing domestic violence may
become the bully at school – as this
may be the only environment in
which they have control.
The anti-bullying kits that will be
used in schools include practical
information on:
● Staff safety procedures
● Offering support to children and
young people living with or leaving
domestic violence
● Child-protection work
● Providing informal support to
individuals
● Facilitating peer support
● Providing information for
survivors of domestic violence
● Child-protection information and
guidance
● Children’s Safety Plan.
Schools are not expected to
address domestic violence in
isolation. Domestic-violence work
is most effective when undertaken
within a multi-agency context. Each
agency can focus on its primary role
yet have the support of other service
providers should a need arise. Most
local authority areas also now have
a Domestic Violence Forum, usually
part of the local Crime and Disorder
Reduction Partnership, which will
coordinate local activity.

Resources Westminster Domestic Violence Forum contains domestic-violence curriculum materials for
use in schools. Visit www.westminsterdomesticviolenceforum.org.uk | Missdorothy.com, an interactive
learning programme for primary and secondary schoolchildren, plus Watch Over Me, www.missdorothy.com /
www.watchoverme.info | Childline, www.childline.org.uk or Freephone 0800 1111 | National Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children www.nspcc.org.uk or Freephone 0800 800 500.

12 Crime Reduction News

Employers
against domestic violence
ACTION IN THE WORKPLACE IS KEY IN HELPING VICTIMS
M
arch 2005 saw some of the UK’s
big corporate names come
together at a seminar in London
to launch of the UK Corporate
Alliance Against Domestic Violence (CAADV)
and the UK employers’ website on domestic
violence. Both will work to raise awareness and
reduce the human and economic impact of
domestic violence in the workplace.
Baroness Scotland attended the launch at
the House of Lords and said, “The impact of
domestic violence goes much wider than the
victim, with a cost of nearly £3 billion per year
for employers due to lost economic output.
Domestic violence should be on the agenda of
every statutory agency and private business.
They can play an important part in galvanising
efforts to tackle domestic violence and I look
forward to seeing the work of the UK Corporate
Alliance Against Domestic Violence in
addressing this very real and vital issue.”
The UK’s CAADV is based on the successful
US model, Corporate Alliance to End Partner
Violence. The strategic direction of the Alliance
will be managed by a five-person executive
board, appointed on an annual basis. In 2005,
the executive team comprises of representatives
from KPMG, BBC, AOL/Time Warner,
Vodaphone, Bodyshop International and
the NHS.
The Alliance’s mission is to raise awareness
of and take action to reduce the human and
economic impact of domestic violence upon the
workplace. Over the next 12 months, guided by
the executive group the UK CAADV is aiming
to fulfil five key objectives:
● Create a central resource where employees
can go to find information about domestic
violence, and where they can also go to
seek support
● Address how to create better communications
to promote action against domestic violence
● Undertake a review of existing workplace
Resources Crime reduction government initiative, www.crimereduction.gov.uk/infosharing00.htm |
Government women and equality unit, www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/domestic_violence/projects.htm
and www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/domestic_violence/index.htm
policies and support networks to employees,
developing a programme that delivers a
model for Alliance Members to implement
● Aim to gain membership of companies whose
employees number 250,000 in one year
● Hold an event to which Alliance members
and CEOs of corporations will be invited,
to promote the Alliance and action against
domestic violence.
TUC’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:
A GUIDE FOR THE WORKPLACE
The TUC has published a guide, ‘Domestic
violence: A Guide for the Workplace’, which
aims to help unions and employers develop
sympathetic but effective ways of assisting
the victims of domestic violence. The guide
aims to:
● Alert employers to the possibility of domestic
violence
● Help employers create a safe and productive
workplace
● Advise on reducing the costs of domestic
violence to employers and thus increasing
productivity
● Inform employers of their legal obligations
and how they can carry out best practice.
To give unions and employers a helping hand
in devising workplace policies on domestic
violence, the guide suggests a number of items
that should be included.
One or two members of staff should be
named as people to approach if employees
wish to discuss things of a personal or
domestic nature. Whilst they don’t need to be
trained counsellors, the guide suggests the
named people undergo some form of training
to help them better understand the nature of
the problem.
Confidentiality and discretion must be
maintained at all times. The guide says that
anyone experiencing domestic violence may
find it extremely difficult to tell anyone what is
happening to them. In fact, they may be having
problems facing up to the reality themselves.
Any policy must highlight the importance of
keeping home address, phone and email
details confidential because abusive men will
often go to great lengths to track down the
whereabouts of their partners.
Any workplace policy should set out special
arrangements that can be made to enable
women experiencing violence to organise
alternative childcare arrangements, or find
somewhere new to live. The guide also says
that, because in some cases abusers will try
to control their partners by seizing their bank
accounts and cash cards, employers should
think about offering women advances on their
pay or alternative methods of pay in certain
circumstances.
When thinking about the safety of female
employees with violent partners, the guide
says employers should consider moving the
member of staff out of public view, changing
keys and codes for entry to the office, and
altering their working hours or shift patterns.
For more information go to
www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-5867-f0.cfm%20
GETTY
Crime Reduction News 13
 SPECIAL
REPORT
The Domestic Violence
Crime and Victims Act
LAST YEAR’S CHANGE TO THE
LAW HELPS VICTIMS AND THE
WITNESSES COME FORWARD
T
he Domestic Violence,
Crime and Victims
(DVCV) Act 2004 is the
biggest overhaul of the
law on domestic violence in the
last 30 years. It will strengthen the
rights of victims and witnesses,
ensuring they receive the help,
support and protection they need.
It builds on the ongoing reform
of the criminal justice system,
rebalancing the process in favour
of victims and witnesses. The Act
contains a wide range of reforms in
the three distinct areas: domestic
violence, crime and victims. The
new familial homicide offence
came into force this March and
helps close a loophole in the law.
The new offence and procedural
changes form a package of
measures that are intended to solve
the problem that arises when a
child or vulnerable adult suffers an
unlawful death and it can be
proved that one or more of a small
group of people living in the same
household as the victim caused
Contact Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (information and guidance on funding for domestic violence
services via the Supporting People programme) www.spkweb.org.uk
14 Crime Reduction News
the death, but not which of them.
In such circumstances, there may
be no case to answer against any
member of the household for
murder or manslaughter.
Until now this loophole has
enabled those co-accused of the
death of a child or vulnerable adult
to escape justice by remaining
silent or by blaming each other.
However, it is also a serious
standalone offence that puts a new
legal responsibility on adult
household members who could
be charged with the offence where,
for example, there is no charge
of murder or manslaughter, or
where evidence suggests that the
defendant could not themselves
have committed the criminal act
that killed the victim.
The offence provides that
household members will be guilty
either if they caused the death or if
three conditions are met:
● They were aware, or ought to
have been aware, that the victim
was at significant risk of serious
physical harm from a member of where this offence has occurred,
the household more widespread violence and
● They failed to take reasonable abuse may be present and that this
steps to prevent that person offence is premised on a duty to
coming to harm protect the vulnerable from harm.
● The person subsequently died All members of a household have
from the unlawful act of a that duty of protection and in most
member of the household in cases, there will be steps, however
circumstances that the defendant limited, that the defendant could
foresaw or ought to have foreseen. have taken. Investigating officers
The prosecution does not have will need to identify those steps.
to prove whether the defendant They will then need to make a
caused, or allowed, the death. The judgement about what steps a court
maximum penalty is 14 years. is likely to conclude that the
Investigating officers will need to defendant could have reasonably
be aware that, in some households been expected to take.
FURTHER READING
Familial Homicide Home Office documents
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs4/familial_homicide.htm
Protecting Children & Vulnerable Adults: The New Law on
Familial Homicide
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs4/annex_familial_homicide.pdf
The text of the Act including the new offence and procedural measures
www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2004.htm
GETTY

Spotlight on
perpetrators
Programmes for perpetrators are a successful means of intervention and a necessity if we
are to minimise the damage done by domestic violence, argues Jo Todd, Director of Respect
W
ithout intervention,
domestic violence is
likely to continue or
escalate. To stop it
we must focus on the perpetrator.
Respect is the UK association for
domestic violence perpetrator
programmes. It was set up in 2001 and
provides support to organisations and
individuals from the voluntary, private
and statutory sectors. We work with
the perpetrators of domestic violence,
setting standards and promoting best
practice across the UK.
This is a relatively new field in the
UK – the first perpetrator programme
was only set up in 1989. There are now
around 30 community-based projects
across the country and the Probation
Service is rolling out two programmes
for convicted offenders. But convicted
offenders account for only a small
proportion of perpetrators, so
community-based programmes still
need to be developed.
Every day our helpline takes calls
from people who want to refer
themselves to a perpetrator
programme and we also hear from
frontline workers who want to refer
clients. But the truth is that in many
areas of the country nothing is
available at all. Recent research from
the Department for Constitutional
Affairs proposed that 150 perpetrator
programmes were needed.
Male violence
The vast majority of domestic violence
is perpetrated by men against women
and this is reflected in the priorities of
Currently there are only perpetrator programmes
in the UK for men who are violent to women
Contact The National Association for Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes and Associated Support
Services, Respect at www.changeweb.org.uk/respect.htm and www.respect.uk.net
most agencies within the sector.
However, it’s not the whole story, and
currently there are only perpetrator
programmes in the UK for men who
are violent to women. We still need
specialist services for those in same-
sex relationships, and for women who
are abusive to their male partners.
Hopefully, funding will be available to
develop work with these groups soon.
With the programmes we have got,
we know that behaviour change is a
long-term process. Programmes
should run for at least 75 hours over
a minimum of 30 weeks and employ
a mixture of techniques, including
cognitive behavioural therapy, small
group work, interactive exercises,
humanistic psychotherapy, role-play,
pro-social modelling and motivational
interviewing.
Challenging expectations
The programmes are based on a pro-
feminist understanding of domestic
violence, which recognises that the
perpetrator is 100 per cent responsible
for his behaviour; believes violence
is a choice and intentional. It’s
imperative that the programmes
explore a perpetrator’s expectations
of power over a partner, challenge
their denial and justification, and
examine the attitudes and beliefs
they hold which support their use
of violence and abuse.
The programmes must also work in
ways that are meaningful to men from
different cultures and backgrounds.
They should acknowledge and
question the social and gendered
COMMENT
context of domestic violence; develop
men’s capacity to understand the
impact of their violence on their
(ex)partners and children in the long
and short term; develop men’s ability
to have safe and appropriate contact
with their children and encourage
men to adopt positive, respectful and
egalitarian ways of being.
Effectiveness of programmes is
difficult to measure, but for us it
means the long-term safety of women
and children. Of perpetrators who
complete a domestic violence
programme, some will stop their
physical violence and significantly
reduce their abusive and controlling
behaviour, the majority will stop their
violence but maintain some level of
abusive and controlling behaviour,
and some will continue their violence.
Perpetrator programmes cannot ‘cure’
violent men – or guarantee dramatic
transformation. However, they can
reduce the dangerousness of many
of the men they work with and in
some cases bring about significant
and lasting change.
When men attend a perpetrator
programme, their behaviour is under
scrutiny. Even in cases where men
are not changing, the risks can be
managed more effectively. That’s a
start. Perpetrator programmes have
a key role to play in increasing women
and children’s safety – and we have a
duty to ensure that they are available
and accessible to all who need them.
Crime Reduction News 15
 FEATURE
A NEW STATUTORY
‘VICTIMS’ CODE OF
PRACTICE’ SPELLS
OUT VICTIMS’ RIGHTS
FOR THE FIRST TIME
TheVictims’
Code of Practice
T
he Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR)has
recently concluded their consultation on a new
Victims’ Code of Practice. But what will the new
Code actually mean in practice? Here is an
outline of the main points.
Q: Why is this Code being published?
A: The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
gives the Home Secretary the power to issue a Victims’
Code of Practice describing the minimum services that
criminal justice agencies should provide to victims of
crime throughout England and Wales.
Q: What will the Code do?
A: For the first time, it will spell out to victims what their
rights are and the minimum level of service they can
expect from each criminal justice agency.
Q: Who will it apply to?
A: It will apply to almost all individuals, organisations
or small businesses that make a complaint to the
16 Crime Reduction News
police and appear to have been the victim of
criminal conduct.
Q: Which criminal justice agencies have obligations
under the Code?
A: The police; the Crown Prosecution Service; Her
Majesty’s Court Service; the new National Offender
Management Service, including Prisons and Probation,
Youth Offending teams, the Criminal Injuries
Compensation Authority, the Criminal Injuries
Compensation Appeals Panel, the Criminal Cases
Review Commission, the Parole Board, and the
National Association of Victim Support Schemes.
Q: What sort of things do these obligations cover?
A: The obligations aim to ensure victims receive
information, protection and support. The Code will
set out what information should be given to victims,
and when and how quickly victims should be
updated about events related to their case. It will also
spell out how they can make a complaint if they

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
The Restorative Justice process, which invites Local Criminal Justice Boards
brings victims and offenders together, to consider how Restorative Justice
is already a familiar feature of the processes can be developed.
youth justice system. But with recent As well as publishing a guide, the
research suggesting that Restorative Home Office has created a web-based
Justice has an important part to play in Restorative Justice toolkit, available at:
increasing victims’ satisfaction, the www.cjsonline.gov.uk/secure and
Home Office is currently looking at how www.homeoffice.gov.uk/justice/
it can be used more widely in the victims/restorative The toolkit provides
criminal justice system. a wealth of practical advice on how to
To this end, in March the Home Office implement Restorative Justice. Visit
published ‘Restorative justice: Helping the Restorative Justice Consortium at:
to meet local needs’, a document which www.restorativejustice.org.uk
have not received the service they are entitled to
under the Code.
Q: How will the Code be enforced?
A: Initially, victims will make any complaints under the
Code to the organisation involved. If they are not
satisfied with the outcome, the victim can take their
case to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. After a
thorough investigation, if the Ombudsman decides
that a complaint is justified, the organisation involved
will be asked to provide a remedy.
Q: How will the Code of Practice differ from the
Victims’ Charter?
A: The Victims’ Charter and the Victims’ Code of Practice
both focus on the rights of victims and the need to
Resources To download a copy of the Code of Practice Consultation, visit: www.cjsonline.gov.uk/the_cjs/
whats_new/news-3121.html | For additional information on restorative justice, visit: www.mediationuk.org.uk
FEATURE
support them throughout their criminal justice
experience. However, the Code reflects the changes
that have taken place in criminal justice policy over
the last few years. The appointment of a Victims’
Commissioner, who will oversee implementation of
the Code, sends a clear signal that CJS agencies must
prioritise victim care. The Commissioner will also
have the power to investigate how the Code is being
delivered in local areas.
Q: Aren’t we already meeting the terms of the Code in
our area by delivering Witness Care Units?
A: Witness Care Units play an important part in victim
and witness care. Staffed by police and CPS, they will
be a valuable support for victims and witnesses whose
case is going to trial. However, most victims won’t
get this far in the CJS process. In those cases where a
prosecution doesn’t happen, victims will still need
support and information to explain to them what is
happening and why. This also applies to victims who
need to know about changes to bail arrangements or
release dates. Prisons, probation and other agencies
are all included under the terms of the Code because
victims need help to cope with the outcome of their
case. It is not enough to focus solely on support for
victims during trials.
Q: Why is victim support so important?
A: Victim and witness care is essential. Not just because
it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes the
system work better. An Audit Commission report in
2003 stated that police response in the early stages after
an incident is the key to whether or not the victim will
stay engaged with the witness process. People who felt
they had been let down by the system once said they
would be less likely to come forward to report crime
or help with a case in future. Five per cent of all Crown
Court cases in 2003 didn’t go ahead because a
prosecution witness didn’t show up, but pilot areas
for improved victim and witness care have reported
at least a 20 per cent drop in ineffective trials. Victim
and witness care is vital in itself, but will also help with
targets on offences brought to justice and effective
trials, for example.
Q: Will training on the Code be available before it’s
implemented?
A: The central Government team who are responsible for
roll-out of the Victims’ Code of Practice have already
produced the ‘Delivery Toolkits’ for each Local
Criminal Justice Board. These were sent out in
February. The Toolkits are full of advice and practical
tools to help Boards get their agencies ready for the
Code. Free copies can be ordered from the Prolog
distribution centre on 0870 241 4680. In addition,
the team will also be working closely with agency
representatives to produce detailed training materials
and guidance which will be made available prior to
full implementation of the Code.
Crime Reduction News 17
 HOW TO
How to ...
regenerate local communities
HOW TO CREATE QUALITY
PARKS AND OPEN SPACES
The work and goals of the How To programme have been
welcomed by Government and partner agencies. Alan
Woods, chief executive of environmental campaigning
agency ENCAMS said: “All those involved in caring for
our neighbourhoods, town centres and parks and open
spaces can benefit from the How To programme. I would
say the programme is a fantastic opportunity. After all, if
someone is going to help you achieve your goal, it would
seem sensible to take them up on the offer.”
Resources For the latest information on government-backed environmental campaigns, visit: www.encams.org
For more information and copies of published How To guides, visit: www.cleanersafergreener.gov.uk
18 Crime Reduction News
A NEW GUIDE LAUNCHES THE
THREE-YEAR PROGRAMME TO
CLEAN UP LOCAL ENVIRONMENTS
A
hard-hitting programme of
initiatives was launched on 15
March 2005 by the Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister and the
Home Office to help practitioners who
work in national agencies, local authorities
and community-based services to a create
a safer, cleaner local environment.
The three-year-long How To programme
is part of the wider Cleaner Safer Greener
Communities intiative (see the March issue
of CRN on page 21). The programme will
include the groundbreaking work being
carried out in 20 towns and cities across
the UK that showcases the ways in which
strong partnership working can tackle anti-
social behaviour and activity, improve local
communities and restore civic pride.
The How To programme has been
specifically developed to provide practical
support, advice and information-sharing
to partner agencies with the provision of
practical trouble-shooting guides, case
study examples, workshops and special
helplines. Clear guidance and advice is also
given on issues such as neighbourhood
safety and tackling environmental crime.
“£8 billion is being invested in
improving our streets and public spaces,”
says Liveability Minister Phil Hope. “This
is making a real difference to the quality of
people’s lives. Through the How To
programme, we want to spell out exactly
what action can be taken, what powers can
be used and what can be expected from
others. It is vital that people know what
works best on the ground and how it can
work for them.”
The first stage of the How To
programme got underway in March with
the publication of the guide, ‘How to
Manage Town Centres’. The guide focuses
on 10 key topics ranging from managing a
rowdy night-time economy to reducing
noise, litter and street fouling. The Home
Office worked closely with the Office of
the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) to
develop the guide, and it takes forward one
of the recommendations within the
Alcohol Harm Reduction Programme for
England, which tasked the ODPM to
provide guidance to local authorities on
managing the night-time economy. The
Home Office will continue to work with
the ODPM to bed in this guidance over the
course of the summer
The launch of the first How To Manage
Town Centres programme at the
Manchester Together Academy was
attended by 315 practitioners and partner
agency representatives, the guide was
distributed to 30,000 others and to date,
5,000 interested parties have already
downloaded the PDF version of the guide.
Summer campaigns
The roll-out of the How To programme
will continue this summer with the
following publications:
● ‘How to Create Quality Parks and Open
Spaces’ – campaign to plan and design to
improve quality; encourage long-term
management and maintenance; assess
standards for parks and green spaces and
highlight the role of local communities in
transforming local parks and spaces.
● ‘How to Improve Residential Areas’ –
campaign to improve the areas around
neighbourhoods; make residential areas
and streets safe; tackle housing-related
anti-social behaviour; and design and
manage streetscapes more effectively.
GETTY

APPRENTICE SCHEMES OFFER
HOPE FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS
Young help with
Youth Crime Prevention
A
ll too often young people are seen as the cause
of crime. In fact one in two young people will
be the victim of crime or aggressive behaviour
before they reach their 16th birthday.
These findings resulted from a survey called the
‘Norwich Union Youth Insight Report’, which captured the
views and experience of 500 young people aged between 11
and 16. Today’s knife culture was a key concern for young
people, with one in five admitting they know someone
under 16 who carries a knife.
With this in mind innovative ways to engage with young
people and reduce youth crime are always being explored,
and the Norwich Union Youth Apprentice Scheme is one
initiative that is receiving support at a ministerial level.
Indeed, five scheme apprentices recently had a chance to
meet with Hazel Blears, Home Office Minister, and explain
their roles.
The Apprentice Scheme employs people aged between 18
and 24 and is run by Crime Concern, a national charity
established to reduce crime and create environments where
people can live their lives free from intimidation and fear.
The scheme has a brief of working with Crime Concern
representatives and young people to help combat some of
the frustrations and pressures that can lead on to crime.
The young people appointed as apprentices all grew up
in the areas where they are now working, and so have an
understanding of the issues and concerns faced by local
youth. An immediate benefit of the scheme is the fact that
youths often relate better to other young people, so the
apprentices can really get to the bottom of a problem.
Resources To find out more about Crime Concern’s work with youth groups and other community projects,
visit: www.crimeconcern.org.uk
ALAMY
FEATURE
The scheme, launched in September 2004 is due to run
until December 2005 when it will be independently evaluated.
Peer support
Community-based schemes include a basketball project to
help truants get back into education and improve
relationships between the police and young people. Project
manager Mohammed Yaseen said: “The Youth Apprentice
Scheme works on the premise that youth crime is best
tackled by young people who come from and understand
the local community. We’re delighted that the work we’re
doing with young people to tackle the frustrations and
disaffection that can lead to crime has caught the attention “Youth crime
of the Minister.”
Simon Machell, Customer Services Director at Norwich
is best tackled
Union, said: “The Youth Apprentices are helping young by young people
people learn new skills, involving them in activities and who come from
sports, and offering guidance with their education and and understand
career. They are also receiving accredited training in youth
work and community-based project work which should help the local
them further their own interests and careers in social care. community”
“We launched the Youth Apprentice Scheme with Crime
Concern because research shows that a young person in
trouble is more likely to turn to someone their own age
and can relate to the problems they are facing, rather than a
parent or other authority figure,” Machell added. “We feel
the Youth Apprentice Scheme can help tackle crime at a
grassroots level, and could become a model for youth
crime prevention that can be rolled out in other cities
within the UK.”
Crime Reduction News 19
 FEATURE
vehicle
The
underclass
A MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH CAN HELP CRACK
DOWN ON THE PROBLEM OF ABANDONED CARS
A
longside serious graffiti, abandoned cars can act
as a magnet for anti-social behaviour and
generate a fear of crime. For children and the
unwary they also make a dangerous playground.
Growth in the use of the motor vehicle in the UK has
been huge and the number of vehicles on the roads is at
an all time high – today there are over 30 million known to
the authorities. Unfortunately the volume of vehicles also
attracts the attention of those who don’t abide by the law.
Research from the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science
(www.jdi.ucl.ac.uk) indicates a ‘vehicle underclass’ of
nearly a million. Underclass refers to a range of possible
offences and criminal indicators. This includes vehicles:
● being either untaxed for more than three months
● with false number plates
● between keepers for more than three months or
● with a number plate not recognised by the DVLA system.
This underclass of vehicles now represents nearly 3 per cent
of all vehicles on roads the length and breadth of the UK.
Disposal, theft and arson
Some see abandoning a vehicle and walking away from it
as the easiest way of dealing with a vehicle problem. This is
despite a possible fine of up to £2,500 and/or a three-month
prison sentence. 310,000 vehicles were abandoned in
20 Crime Reduction News
England alone during 2002/03 – a rise of 39 per cent from
2000/01 (see: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics).
Concern about abandoned vehicles is connected to
people’s concerns about crime. According to the British
Crime Survey, 12 per cent of people today think that
abandoned and burnt out cars are a very big or fairly big
problem in their area – down 5 per cent on the previous year
(see: British Crime Survey, online at
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb0705.pdf)
Research also shows a link between stolen vehicles and
arson, with up to 50 per cent of vehicle fires being in vehicles
that have been reported stolen. Between 1998 and 2002
deliberate fires rose by 40 per cent, which is almost entirely
due to the 70 per cent rise in vehicle fires (see the link to the
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, below right).
Offender research has shown the reason for these fires
is often the need to destroy forensic and DNA based
evidence: those vehicles that were not reported stolen were,
in the majority of cases, set alight whilst being abandoned
to destroy evidence of ownership.
Since 1998, when the price of steel was especially low,
economics has had an impact on abandoned vehicles.
Dealers began to request money for collecting vehicles
whereas previously the owner would have been paid.
This, combined with stricter environmental restrictions
on the scrapping of vehicles, has increased dealer costs,
which were passed on to owners of older cars. These
owners were traditionally from lower-income households
ALAMY
and who could least afford the costs.

What does the future hold?
On 1 April 2002 the Government introduced new
regulations enabling abandoned vehicles to be removed by
local councils within 24 hours. Today, Operation Scrap-It,
funded by the Home Office, has been signed up to by all
London Boroughs, and removes vehicles in 72 hours (see
www.together.gov.uk/category.asp?c=451). The Clean
Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 will enable
authorised officers to give a fixed penalty notice of £200 if
a person abandons a car, removes the requirement to attach
a notice to abandoned cars and allows abandoned cars to
be removed immediately.
Since 2001 the Arson Control Forum has worked to
bring together police, fire services and local authorities in
an effort to tackle vehicle arson. Evaluation following the
first group of local projects showed that arson was 30 per
cent below the level in control areas. There are now 66 local
projects, including 29 car-clear schemes and 24 Arson Task
Forces, many of which include a vehicle element.
Increases in steel prices, combined with the numerous
policy and legislative changes, have now led to a reduction
in deliberate vehicle fires for the first time in five years.
With effective policing and local authority involvement,
we may see an end to the menace of abandoned vehicles.
Contact For links to statistics about vehicle arson, visit the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Find it at www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_fire/documents/sectionhomepage/odpm_fire_page.hcsp
CASE STUDY
OPERATION CUBIT
Introduced in 2001, Operation Cubit was a multi-agency
scheme dealing with abandoned and untaxed vehicles
in the Kent area. Two pilot operations ran for a number
of weeks in the spring and summer of that year.
The rise in abandoned vehicles was seen to be linked
with the increase in costs of legitimately disposing of
them. Using a multi-agency approach, the combined
powers of those involved were able quickly and
efficiently to remove the vehicles from the streets.
In addition to environmental concerns, Operation
Cubit was able to disrupt the criminality associated
with the use of untaxed road vehicles, encourage
re-licensing of vehicles, discourage vehicle dumping
and reduce vehicle arson.
Prosecutions
The team was composed of a police officer, a local
authority warden and a subcontract wheel clamping
team from the DVLA. Any vehicle on a public road that
appeared to have been abandoned, and roadworthy but
untaxed vehicles, were either clamped or removed.
Owners were able to claim their vehicles back if they
wished. The DVLA carried out prosecutions for vehicle
licence evasion and unlawful vehicle disposal.
The outcome was positive. In one eight-week period
in the Medway area, 642 vehicles were removed and
102 were inspected by the Cubit team. In the Swanley
area 184 vehicles were removed and action was taken
against another 60 vehicles over a four-week period.
Only 26 of these vehicles were eventually reclaimed.
CASE STUDY
OPERATION CRACKDOWN
Operation Crackdown is another multi-agency
approach to reducing abandoned vehicles and arson.
In Sussex it is estimated that 32,000 vehicles are
abandoned each year, at a £10 million cost to the
taxpayer. Local residents can inform the authorities
about abandoned vehicles using the Sussex Police
website (www.sussex.police.uk/operations/
crackdown.asp). Online they can even upload an image
The reason for of the offending vehicle.
fires is often the
need to destroy Removal speed
forensic and DNA Operation Crackdown made it possible to legally
remove vehicles in three days – a great improvement
based evidence on the four weeks it took previously. The speed of
removal has been facilitated by a new computer
system that enables police to give quick approval
for the removal of any vehicle.
Crackdown project manager Tim Saunders
explained: “The scheme is already helping, not
just to improve the environment but to reduce the
opportunities that abandoned vehicles provide for
vandalism and crime.”
Crime Reduction News 21
UPDATE
news
VOLUNTEER
Justice month highlights
volunteers’ efforts
VOLUNTEERS OF ALL SHAPES, SIZES AND INTERESTS ARE
BEING CELEBRATED IN 2005 – THE YEAR OF THE VOLUNTEER
Volunteers are the life blood of British justice with a
staggering 90 per cent of all court cases being judged by
unpaid staff. The country’s 28,500 magistrates, who give
their time voluntarily, make decisions in the majority
of cases in the criminal justice system.
They are joined by an army of at least 60,000 more
volunteers dedicated to serving justice and fighting crime.
This includes 11,500 Special Constables plus people who
staff police stations, mentor young offenders, support
victims of crime, visit prisoners, not to mention
members of the 165,000 neighbourhood watch schemes.
Their efforts and those of all volunteers are being
celebrated this year in the Year of the Volunteer. CSV
(Community Service Volunteers) and Volunteering
England have been appointed by the Home Office to
promote and support the Year of the Volunteer. The year
has been divided up into themed months which celebrate
the work volunteers do in different areas.
The themes for each month are:
● January – Health
● February – Youth and children
● March – Older people
● April – Justice
● May – Environment
● June – Recognition
● July – Veterans
● August – Sport
22 Crime Reduction News
A ROUND-UP OF NEWS,EVENTS
AND ACTIVITIES FROM THE
VOLUNTARY SECTOR AROUND
THE COUNTRY
● September – Disability
● October – Citizenship
● November – Europe
● December – Animals
In April, the aim of the theme of justice was to increase the
number of volunteers within the criminal justice system
and working on community safety projects. Events and
projects which took place included:
● A CSV conference celebrating 21 years of volunteering
in prisons, held at the House of Lords
● A conference organised by Nacro called ‘putting in
your time’ held at Leicester City football club
● A clean-up of Wormwood Scrubs nature reserve. Up
to 100 volunteers rejuvenated woodland, installed
security cameras and improved lighting.
The Year of the Volunteer Awards 2005 have been created
to acknowledge and celebrate volunteers in England.
Volunteers can be nominated in one of five categories and
2,005 of them will be rewarded with an HM Mint
Volunteer Medal. Regional Volunteer Awards ceremonies
will take place around the country during October, leading
to a national awards ceremony in London in January 2006.
For more information: www.yearofthe
volunteer.org/html/months_theme.html
or contact Martin Walford at mwalford@csv.org.uk
Anti-crime volunteers
in line for grants
Voluntary sector groups could each be £250 richer thanks
to the Year of the Volunteer. To celebrate Justice Month,
held in April, some 20 grants of £250 are on offer to
voluntary sector groups which ran events to highlight the
role of volunteers who work in the criminal justice system
and on community safety projects. The events had to be
based around one of the four themes of justice month
which show how volunteers:
● Prevent crime happening – such as neighbourhood
wardens, youth clubs, working with offenders, making
environments less crime-friendly
● ‘Put things right’ – working with victims of crime, or
in restorative justice projects to help repair the damage
of crime
● Build community confidence – helping the understand-
ing of the criminal justice system, and bringing people
together
● Find a new career – discovering a passion through the
training and commitment involved in volunteering in
the justice sector.
The winners are due to be announced shortly.
Run to raise funds
for Crimestoppers
Help reduce crime in your community and get fit in the
process by taking part in this year’s Great North Run
on behalf of Crimestoppers.
This year’s event, which will be held in Newcastle on
Sunday 18 September, marks the 25th anniversary of
the run. Last year, 45 out of the record 38,374 runners
who crossed the finish line represented Crimestoppers.
Crimestoppers uses the funds raised by its runners to
promote its work throughout the UK. Currently 17 people
a day are arrested and charged as a result of calls to the
0800 555 111 number.
Crimestoppers is inviting anyone who wants to take
up the challenge and run on its behalf to contact the
organisation. All you need to do is raise a minimum of
£300 sponsorship. Anyone who decides to take up the
challenge will be sent a runner’s pack giving more
information about the event which includes top tips
for fundraising and training.
For more information call the events team
on 020 8254 3200 or go to www.crimestoppers-
uk.org/news/greatnorthrun2005

Specials weekend boosts interest

Specials Constables in England and Wales
were given the chance to publicise the
valuable contribution they make to fighting
crime at this year’s National Specials
Weekend. The event, which ran from 25-27
February, saw forces encouraging their
Specials to attend for duty and take part
in various activities and operations.
In West Midlands, 80 Specials patrolled
Birmingham City Centre over Friday night
and Saturday morning providing a highly
visible presence.
In Cheshire, members of the public
logged onto the force’s website to watch
Specials receive an operational briefing
2004 Trophy before going out on patrol.
winner, DO Feedback from forces indicates the
Adrian Dodd
weekend was a success in that there has
been an increased level of interest in
Specials and increased applications.
● This year’s Ferrers Trophy event, will
take place at the Church House Conference
centre, Westminster on June 23. The Ferrers
Trophy recognises the Special who has
made the most significant contribution to
policing throughout the year. It was named
after Lord Ferrers, the minister of state who
started the trophy off in 1990. Since then,
national recognition of the trophy has
grown and it is now widely attended by
representatives from all the police forces.
For more information on the week-
end and of the Ferrers Trophy go to
www.specialconstables.gov.uk

Crime Reduction News 23