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This week saw the publication of the review by Louise Casey (former head of the Government’s Respect Task Force) entitled ‘Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime’.
The review, which has taken eight months and has involved hearing the views of nearly 15,000 members of the public and front-line staff, bills itself as ‘a common sense view on what needs to change to reduce crime, create safer communities and increase public confidence’.
I have heard a number of varying comments about the review as it has progressed, but you can only take as you find, and this review certainly does appear grounded in common sense. The style is easy and informative and, for the most part, makes perfect sense.
Ms Casey sets the tone for this ranging report by declaring that ‘Nothing short of a revolution is needed in the way that the consumer is served – and by consumer we mean primarily ordinary, law abiding citizens and victims of crime’. You won’t get an argument from me there. I have found that the normal approach to this issue across the service, is one of incremental timidity. Incrementalism being the antidote to innovation.
The report looks at five broad areas: putting victims, witnesses and other law-abiding citizens first; fighting crime and delivering justice for communities; a new approach to crime statistics; the citizen’s role in tackling crime; and freedoms and accountability.
Throughout the review, Casey makes convincing arguments for simplicity, consistency and a more joined up, unified, delivery. She notes that ‘the public want a police service that delivers to the same standards, that has a familiar ‘identity’ wherever they live, and to know what they can expect from it – irrespective of their postcode’.
The report helpfully outlines the top ten policing approaches the public said they want to see. They can be found here.
TEN KEY FACTS FROM THE REVIEW
• 55% of the public say crime is the most important issue facing Britain today.
• Only 33% of the public are confident that the Criminal Justice System meets the needs of victims, but 79% agree it respects the rights of offenders.
• 73% of the public say that hearing about someone being a victim of crime in their local area affects their feelings of safety and makes them cautious, angry and sad.
• 91% of the public think the basic approaches and standards of service delivered by the police should be the same wherever they live.
• Better parenting is the top thing (58%) the public say would do most to reduce crime and 58% of the public think that Friday night is the most important time for youth facilities to be available.
• 90% of respondents to the review think the public are not told enough about what happens to those who have committed crime.
• When asked what is the most important issue facing Britain on crime, the top answer from the public (29%) is that sentences are too lenient.
• 90% of the public agree that community punishments for crime should involve some form of payback to the community.
• When asked who they would trust as a source for national statistics on crime, the top answer from the public (48%) was an independent watchdog.
• 75% of the public are prepared to play an active role in tackling crime.
Neighbourhood Policing is well scrutinised by the report with wide variations in some fairly basic elements of Neighbourhood Policing being identified, including:
• What Neighbourhood Policing is called locally
• What forces call the public meetings they hold to identify local concerns, agree priorities and feed back results
• How local neighbourhoods are identified
• How local teams are resourced
• Variability in uniforms for PCSOs and;
• How information on local crime is provided (The top approaches to crime information provision that the public wants can be found here)
There was a very strong call, particularly in public events held during the review, for greater consistency in the posting of police officers to local neighbourhoods. People wanted to see the same officers spending a reasonable amount of time getting to know the area and the community, and providing a chance for the community to get to know them, before being moved off to other posts or duties.
The report concludes that ‘the public see Neighbourhood Policing as the policing they experience as a whole in their local area. Police forces, on the other hand, tend to see Neighbourhood Policing as a distinct and fairly small piece of their organisation, with most policing covered by other business areas such as so called ‘response’ policing’.
Casey is clear that ‘Neighbourhood Policing Teams should become the ‘face’ of engagement and communication with local communities on crime and justice as a whole, and should be given the necessary support to achieve this’.
She also covers the Neighbourhood Policing/Neighbourhood Management issue and concludes that ‘ It is not just about merging Neighbourhood Policing with the more specific Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders…Neighbourhood Policing cannot succeed without the integration of relevant council services, and the help of other organisations like housing associations, regeneration agencies and health services who work in and with the community’.
However, she is also clear that ‘A greater willingness to work together on behalf of the public is required from all sides…the public want and deserve a more seamless service; and work to achieve integration needs additional focus and pace’.
The report makes a number of recommendations which will undoubtedly be echoed and amplified in the forthcoming green paper. Overall it concludes that ‘public confidence and engagement would be improved significantly if the police, local government and other criminal justice agencies took action together and presented a more united and seamless front to local communities on crime’. Hard to argue with that.
At 120 pages long, it’s not a short read, but it is an interesting one. The full report can be found here.
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