Crime Reduction & Community Safety

This document discusses crime reduction strategies, the philosophy of community policing, and the impact of crime on victims and communities. It also explores the role and responsibilities of public services and related agencies in addressing crime and disorder.

Unit 8:
Crime Reduction &
Community Safety

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK ONE......................................................................................................................................3
Section 1: Recording Crime...................................................................................................3
Section 2: The Philosophy of Community Policing...............................................................4
Section 3: Effectiveness of Crime Reduction Strategies........................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERNCES...................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
The philosophy of community policing prevents crime and resolves the evolving problem in
the community. This philosophy is based on the belief that police and community must work
collaboratively in order to solve the contemporary issues faced by the society keeping in view
the changing environment. Effective policing led to positive ambiance on reducing crime and
also helps to reduce the fear of crime from the minds of people. Not only it prevent but also aims
to enhance quality of life within the community.
Today, the fear of crime is the burning issue in the society and this fear of crime is seen as
emotion response to crime (Aspholm and Mattaini, 2017). According to the survey report crime
rate is fallen since the coronavirus outbreak yet the fear of crime remains the same. The report
examines that the reduction of crime is not reflected in the public’s fear of crime.
TASK ONE
Section 1: Recording Crime
Describe how crime is recorded by police and explain how Crime Survey for England and
Wales offers an alternative method of measuring crime.
The police force in UK have the best crime recording system in the world which delivers the
accurate statistics and fulfil the core needs of the victims. The crime is recorded by the police in
order to ensure the victims receives the expected services what they deserve. Further formulates
effective policies and strategies to reduce crime. The methods used to measure crime are:
Official Statistics
It is one way to measure crime by comparing the statistics from the government
formulated bodies and agencies, such as police, courts and others. The strength of this method is
that it is based on the facts devised from the trusted governmental bodies and agencies which can
be relied upon and thus, considered as reliable source. It is more objective method among other
methods because it does not record crime on the basis of inaccurate personal measures. For
example such reports which led biasness against the criminals (Baumer and et. al., 2018). The
weakness of this method is that the report is formulated on the basis of reported crime, but the
police underestimates the evidence from the crime which need to be recorded effectively.
According to survey police does not act in effective manner in recording crimes which causes
flaw in the formation of report. Further evidence from the courts are also underestimated either

criminals are not convicted unless or until they commit several crimes or they are convicted just
because police exercise their power in an ineffectively manner. For example police empower
with stop and search power uses it in irrational manner and convict on basis of racial
discrimination. Also the figures gathered are sometimes distorted as recording policies differs
within different police forces. The government even trigger results in order to suit their election
campaign.
Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)
This method formerly known as British Crime Survey (BCS), another method which can
be used for measuring crime which gathers the information from the victims themselves in
response of the crime they have experienced. The survey asked 5000 people in England and
Wales about their crime experiences and whether they have reported about the crime to police.
Anecdotally, the number of reporting crimes was increased in 2000 because of change and
evolution of strategies and rules while governing the measure for crime, recording and reporting
of crime by public. One of its strength that survey provides decent representation of the crime
incurring in England and Wales and its effect on people. This method eliminates the sampling
biasness while measuring the crime (Bennett and et. al., 2018). The weakness in respect of this
method is inaccurate sample as people unable to recall the memories of actual crime because it is
too painful which led lack of details of the events that occurred. Forgotten details of the events is
also reason of inaccurate data. The freak sample of surveys does not portrays the true picture of
the entire population.
The difference of measuring crime between the official statistics and crime survey is dark
figure of crime i.e. the official figures. The fluctuation of figures occurs when police
ineffectively or do not record crime or sometimes all victims do not report the crime to the
police. There are many reasons behind police not recording crime such as minor crime are not
recorded or sometimes they record against the policy. Also victims do not take reporting of crime
seriously or they face threat and others in reporting the crime. Thus, neither method of measuring
crime is reliable and there are numerous crime which remains unrecorded by either police or
victim fails to report to the police because of various reasons (Clear, 2018).
Section 2: The Philosophy of Community Policing
Impact of crime and disorder on victims

People react differently to the similar offences, as one may suffer for short term while
other may suffer for long term. It causes adverse effect on those victims who are poor or already
have stressful life. The crime survey provided an insight view of the effects of victimisation. The
victims of non-violent offences includes crimes which are associated with property. The impact
of criminal victimisation is serious which led the victims into a state of shock, depression, anger.
Even victims can be devastating when they face emotional, physical and mental ramifications.
Moving and coping from the victimisation is hard and is a complex process. Sometimes victims
commits suicide or attempt to suicide, thus adversely effects the victims.
Sometimes the impact of crime and disorder on victims are short term in which victims
move on or cope quite quickly by using their resources such as friends, family and others. The
short term effect which is experienced by victims are as follows:
 Inconvenience in response to theft or damage to property or direct costs.
 Dealing with formalities related to insurance claims and court proceedings and other
procedures of the criminal legal system (Fagan and et. al., 2018).
 Taking more crime preventive measures in order to reduce the crime and its effects.
 The physical injury resultant of violent crime.
A victim of a crime also suffers long term impact and is seriously affected, these are as
follows:-
 Feelings of anxiety leading to depression and loss of trust towards law and society.
 Psychological effects such as fear of crime, stress disorder, anger and other serious
effects.
 Social effects which causes fear of crime in the minds of people living in the society. For
example, afraid of going to places of crime.
 Serious offences such as physical assaults, rape etc. causes long lasting effects.
Impact of crime and disorder on communities
Crime does not just affect individuals but also to communities and society, even they face
long term and short term impact. They are affected economically through loss of tourism or sales
and other social economic consequences. The crimes like prostitution, gambling, drug abuse,
betting and other also led to adverse consequences. The most serious crime which affects the
society is Homicide because it is involved in taking human lives (Gagliardi, 2019). Economy
suffers from serious crimes. It discourages domestic and foreign investments and also reduces

competitive advnatges in the marketplace, thus leading to uncertainty and inefficiency. These are
as follows:-
 Price of property related or engaged in crime are affected. Owners find it difficult to sell
the property at good price.
 New business avoid to start in the conflicted area. And existing business suffers from loss
of income, theft, loss of customers, damage expenses and others. Losing business led to
pass of cost on to customers by increasing prices of goods or services.
 Increase cost in dealing crimes led to increase of taxes or other revenues by government.
Also increase in crime level lowers the money for other services such as health and
education.
 New evolving crimes such as cybercrime led the government to use latest technology and
thus increases the cost of crime.
The philosophy of community policing and associated legislations
Community policing is defined as the philosophy that connects and creates strong bond the
community and police (Goddard and Myers, 2017). This allows the police to engage and build
good relations with the localities and aims to prevent crime from happening. The philosophy is
based on believe that the community and police must work collaboratively in order to cope up
with the challenges and contemporary issued faced by the society or community. The benefits of
effective community policing are as follows:-
 Improved trust and faith towards the legal system
 Residents have favourable view towards their area officers.
 Less crime as officers are updated with the accurate information from the localities in
respect of any suspicious activity in their society or community.
 Better understandings of the need and wants of the citizens and their expectation from
legal system or police officers.
 Effective strategies and policies by police officers in preventing and reducing crimes in
their areas.
 Effective channel of communication and using updated technology to better engage their
localities and boost the community policing initiatives.
Central government plays an important role in policing in England and Wales (Mason and et.
al., 2017). The Criminal Law Act 1967, The Police and criminal Evidence Act, 1984 and

common law require police to use reasonable forces in the circumstances. Reasonable force
involves, force in accordance or as permitted by law, amount of force be proportionate and
should not be contrary to law or excessive. The main legislation is the Police and Criminal
Evidence Act 1984, the purpose of PACE, 1984 is to unify the powers of police and use them in
public interest with an aim to balance the rights of an individual against these powers (Miller,
2019). The act was introduced when people started losing faith in the criminal legal system. The
act is considered as the most significant developments in modern policing. It empowers the
police with stop and search authority and even facilitate burden on them to justify their use of
power. The power led the police to stop and search if they feel suspicion that an individual or
group is involved in a crime. The suspicion is required to be reasonable in order to prevent police
misusing the power. For example, police is misusing the power by detaining people on basis of
race, ethnicity, colour (inhumane treatment with black young men). Further it empowers police
to arrest and detain on feeling suspicion and in accordance with law.
The benefits of multi-agency policing since the 1997 New Labour government
A multi-agency approach is also effective in reducing crime and is present in England
and Wales since 1960s. The Committee on the Prevention and Detection of crime was seen as an
initiative towards community safety. The Morgan Report which suggest for future development
in order to promote community safety recommended to link local authorities with the police and
other multi agencies in order to tackle crime effectively and efficiently. It is also considered as
partnership policing or inter agency policing. The need for multi-agency is as police alone do not
possess all the information and these help to assist crime effectively (Mitchell and Huey, 2018).
In 1997 New Labour Government established partnership working in order to led effective
criminal justice system. This partnership policing became the public service in the United
Kingdom. The New Labour Government embarked a major reform and the Crime and Disorder
Act was introduced in 1998. The act transformed partnership working in community safety by
formulation statutory requirement for local authorities, police and health authorities to work
collaboratively and effectively. In simple words, it is the positive response of public sector
agency in reducing preventing crime for community safety. The benefits of multi-agency
policing are discussed below:
 Accuracy in assessing risk and needs: These multi agency ensures effective
communication in the society which enables to assess the needs and wants of the

residents. The agency aims to understand and create trust which can lead to assessment of
risk and accordingly takes measures in order to prevent and reduce crime. Working
together helps to manage the risk involved in the serious crimes or harm.
 Thorough and proper management of cases: In the United Kingdom there are many multi
agency corporations to better understand the crime model on the basis of experiences in
many local hubs. Further proper strategy by the agency with effective community support
prevent the irrational usage of power by police. For example in 1996 many women have
suffered harsh treatment in criminal justice system and there were increased
imprisonment sentences for women (O'Brien and et. al., 2019).
 Efficiencies in processes and resources: Issues can be tackled effectively with the proper
information and pooling of resources. The main benefit is the adequate and necessary
resources to measure crimes and ultimately led to achievement of economies of scale.
Thus, cost effective in solving wide range of socio- economic issues.
 Identifies and resolve effectively contemporary social problems: The approach is
considered as effective and efficient approach. It helps to solve the disputes ranging from
child protection to safeguarding the streets. Further these deals with mental health needs
of the individuals who pass through criminal justice system.
Explain the role and responsibilities of a range of public services and related agencies in
addressing crime and disorder
The role of various public services and agencies in addressing crime and disorder are as
follows:-
 Prime duty is to protect life and property and improve the quality of life for all residents.
 Main role is to promote public safety by deterring crime activities.
 To maintain trust, faith and accountability between these law enforcement agencies and
communities in order to eliminate the disputes arising from mistrust or
misunderstandings (Pryce and et. al., 2018).
 To ensure public peace by formulating effective strategies in order to prevent and reduce
crime, fear and disorder.
 The powers empowered need to be in accordance with law and in public interest.
 The another main role is to combat criminal violations of law

 To enforce temporary rules or law such as traffic control, offering service functions in
jails, for ambulance and others.
 Submitting reports of incidents on time.
The responsibility of these public services and agencies in addressing crime, fear and
disorder are as follows:-
 The main responsibility is to target resources effectively and provide fair treatment and
impartially.
 Exercise power in impartial manner without creating any discrimination.
 Prevention and reduction of crime should be their priority in order to achieve community
safety.
 Formulate policies and further review them along with the corrective measures to tackle
crimes more efficiently.
Section 3: Effectiveness of Crime Reduction Strategies
Outline the factors that underpin crime reduction strategies
The crime control strategies aims to reduce and prevent the opportunities for crime by
formulating strategies keeping in the view the changing environment. It also enhances the
responsibilities of the police department towards the residents. The criminal justice system offers
new strategies as a way of reducing levels of offences (Rinehart Kochel and Weisburd, 2019).
Some of the initiatives are discussed below:
Secure by Design (SBD)
Secure by design is a crime prevention initiative designed by the United Kingdom
government in order to reduce the rate of crimes. SBD aims to promote the good practice in
urban planning by ensuring that the designers, architects, planner and builders consider the
reduction of crime during the stage of design of any proposals. The key focus is to reduce crime,
disorder and fear of crime by maximum natural surveillance includes no high walls, clear
sightlines etc.
Increasing Formal and Natural Surveillance
The survey provides an evidence that effectiveness of public space Closed-Circuit
Television (CCTV) helps in reducing crime (Sutton and et. al., 2021). The CCTV helps to deter
crimes particularly in the situation of alcohol fuelled offences. Improving such surveillance
around houses, business or public places is effective in deter crimes. Also it is beneficial in

improving crime model by improving the availability and quality of evidence. Further the natural
surveillance includes improved street lights, removing high walls or hedges in order improve the
good visibility and work as deterrence of crimes. Thus, helps to reduce the opportunity for
crimes and increase the perceived risk for offenders to commit crimes.
Strengthening Physical Barriers
The symbolic barrier to crime is also seen effective to reduce crimes. Such as installation
of bullet proof barriers to protect the officers, banks, making property harder for an offender to
access. Also in case of cybercrime using secure passwords in order to prevent criminals to hacks
your online accounts.
Rule Setting
Changing habits by setting effective rules also reduces the crime. Habits such as locking
door properly after leaving, informing user that particular site is closed and should not be
accessed (Schultze-Kraft and et. al., 2018).
Describe a range of local and national strategies used to tackle crime and disorder.
National Crime Strategies
Crime imposes serious threat on the rights and freedom of the victims which are
entrenched in the constitution. It prevents individuals to move and communicate freely and
engaging in any economic activity. It also prevents society or community to take advantages and
opportunities offered by the country. These reasons made the government realise that the
prevention of crime is to taken as national priority.
One of the national crime strategy formulated by the government in June 2009, is Cyber
Security Strategy (Segrave and Ratcliffe, 2017). It was developed to tackle the threats and
crimes evolved from the internet and associated technology. The strategy focus on tackling with
serious cybercrimes. It aims to achieve socio- economic benefits from cyberspace. The strategy
helped United Kingdom to provide cyber security in order to encourage people to operate
cyberspace securely. Further the demand for cyber security increase amid pandemic situation.
The objective are as follows:
 The strategy aims to tackle cybercrimes by encouraging government to sanction online
criminal activity and also encourages cyber specials to deal with crimes effectively.
 Making safer cyberspace to promote business activities.
 Strategy in strengthening cyberspace defences and countering the terrorist use of internet.

 The main objective is to encourage knowledge and skills to underpin all cyber security
objectives.
Local Crime Strategy
The local crime strategies are focused on reducing and preventing opportunities of crime in the
society or community. It enhances the effective response by police in respect of crime. The crime
control strategy need to be updated keeping in view the changing environment. However these
local strategies seems effective in lowering crime and also in elimination of extra cost associated
with it. Some of the strategies are monitoring public surveillance, use and expand of drug courts
and others (Wilcox and Cullen, 2018).
Most effective strategy in reducing, preventing and detecting crime is the effective
policing. As police is face of government in tackling crimes and people has many expectations
which is required to be fulfilled impartially. The government has empowered the police with
many powers which is required to be used in an effective manner and in public interest. Proper
policing strategies which includes fair and efficient policing practices, collaborative approaches,
investigation when reasonable suspicion and others help to deter crime effectively. The way
police opt practices also makes a difference to crime. By ensuring fair treatment, handling issues
promptly, making impartial decision and creating faith, the police may encourage people to
cooperate and not violate laws. The best way police can tackle crime, fear and disorder by
targeting resources on the basis of problem faced by people and at same time ensuring fair
treatment (Summers and Caballero, 2017). The standard model of policing includes the
following:
 Increase in the number of police officers in order to detect crime effectively and arrest
offenders.
 Create perception of police so as to deter criminal activities.
 Rapid response to calls may likely help to catch offenders easily
 Involving detectives while investigating crimes in order to solve problems effectively and
efficiently.
 Proper arrest policies so as to deter general people from committing offence.

CONCLUSION
The report concluded in its first section the measures used in recoding crime accompanied
by their strength and weakness. It examined the philosophy of community policing by analysing
the impact of crime on both victims and communities along with their short term and long term
impacts. Second section concludes the philosophy with the associated legislations. Moreover, the
benefits of multi-agency policing with their roles and responsibilities of public services and
agencies in addressing crime, fear and disorder are examined effectively. The last section
provides the effectiveness of crime reduction strategies. The report consist factors that underpin
as crime reduction strategies. Effective strategies led to measure crimes properly and efficiently.
Further one national crime strategy, Cyber Security Strategy and a local strategy of effective
policing is discussed in the report.

REFERNCES
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