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The latest information on crime reduction
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STRONGER VOICE FOR LOCAL POLICING IN MERSEYSIDE
Date:
2009-01-08
Source: Home Office
Link: http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=389145&NewsAreaID=2
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith today joined Merseyside Police to witness their work with local communities to tackle crime and deliver the new Policing Pledge to local people.
Visiting Picton Neighbourhood and Children's Health Centre in Liverpool, the Home Secretary joined a community meeting between officers and local residents discussing policing priorities for the area. They witnessed first hand the positive impact of neighbourhood policing and the growing involvement of communities in the fight against crime.
Following the meeting, Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe and representatives from the neighbourhood policing team unveiled the national Policing Pledge which the force is delivering for the people of Merseyside.
The Pledge is a new and clear deal about what the public can expect from the police. It gives local people an unprecedented say over how their communities are policed and the opportunity to hold the police to account - to ensure they are getting the service they want. The public can also be confident that the police are delivering the same set of national service standards throughout the country while still delivering action on the issues that are local priorities.
LAUNCH OF ONLINE CRIME MAPS
Date:
2009-01-06
Source: Home Office
Link: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/online-crime-maps
People across England and Wales can now access details of crime trends in the areas they live in at the push of a button.
The neighbourhood crime maps provide a rich picture of crime in police force areas. The public can now access crime maps on the websites of all 43 police forces to see volume of crime as well as crime trends and comparisons with the rest of the country.
*** A local perspective on crime ***
The crime maps also allow the public to see how local crime fighting partnerships are impacting on issues of local concern and give people the information they need to dictate local priorities. Information provided is at least ward level and includes information about burglary, robbery, theft, vehicle crime, violent crime and anti-social behaviour.
Crime mapping offers people perspective and puts crime into a very local context. Many people will be reassured by what they read and this breakdown of crime figures offers crime fighting partnerships an opportunity to showcase their achievements where they are making a positive impact on issues of local concern.
STRONGER VOICE ON LOCAL POLICING FOR EVERY COMMUNITY
Date:
2008-12-31
Source: Home Office
Link: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/stronger-voice-policing
The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith today congratulated all 43 police forces for their outstanding commitment in reaching the momentous milestone of delivering the Policing Pledge for every community across England and Wales.
*** The Policing Pledge ***
The Pledge is a new and clear deal on what the public can expect from the police. It gives local people an unprecedented say over how their communities are policed and the opportunity to hold the police to account – to ensure they are getting the service they want. The public can also be confident that the police are delivering the same set of national service standards throughout the country while still delivering action on the issues that are local priorities.
The Policing Pledge is one part of a package of radical reforms set out in the Policing Green Paper earlier this year to build on achievements, like the 40 per cent reduction in crime since 1997. These include a single target to drive up public confidence, more local crime information for the public and further measures to cut red tape, getting more officers back out on the beat.
CARRY AN ILLEGAL KNIFE, FACE THE CONSEQUENCES
Date:
2008-12-29
Source: Ministry of Justice
Link: http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease291208.htm
Tougher, more intensive punishments for people who carry illegal knives were announced today by Justice Minister David Hanson MP who outlined the government's position for 2009.
From 5 January courts will be able to hand out tougher and more intensive penalties for everyone convicted of possession of a knife who are ordered by the courts to carry out community payback work such as picking up litter, renovating community centres, clearing undergrowth and cleaning up graffiti for local communities.
Offenders sentenced to pay for their crimes within the community already have to work hard, wear high visibility orange jackets with the distinctive 'Community Payback' logo, give something back to their neighbourhoods and lose much of their free time.
NEW POWER AND GUIDANCE TO TACKLE ALCOHOL-RELATED CRIME
Date:
2008-12-23
Source: Home Office
Link: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/New-power-guidance-alcohol-crime
A new power targeting offenders who commit crime under the influence of alcohol was unveiled today.
From next summer, drinking banning orders will allow police and local authorities to stop a person entering certain premises if they have been involved in criminal or disorderly conduct under the influence of alcohol. Breach of a drinking banning order, which can last up to two years, could lead to a fine of up to £2,500. The orders are focused on people whose drinking has been identified as a factor in their irresponsible and disorderly behaviour.
To add to the range of tools and powers to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder, the government also published new guidance on obtaining designated public place orders and establishing alcohol disorder zones.
NEW POLICE POWERS TO CRACK DOWN ON YOBBISH BEHAVIOUR
Date:
2008-12-19
Source: Department for Transport
Link: http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=388102&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False
Yobs who cause misery for other passengers by smoking, drinking or causing a nuisance on the railways will face on-the-spot fines under new police powers, Transport Minister Andrew Adonis announced today.
Currently the British Transport Police can warn or arrest anti-social passengers - but new penalties, to be introduced in the new year (subject to Parliamentary approval), will give them a third option of issuing a £50 fine.
The new penalties are being introduced as the Government extends its Penalty Notice for Disorder Scheme.
The scheme is intended to free up the police's time from dealing with low-level bad behaviour and designed as a more efficient way of dealing with offenders rather than arresting them, charging them and then taking the case through the courts.
POLICING AND CRIME BILL: PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST
Date:
2008-12-18
Source: Home Office
Link: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/policing-crime-bill
The bill contains measures to protect the public, increase police accountability and effectiveness, and tackle crime and disorder.
The new bill sets out the ways government will work with police to give a clear and powerful voice to the public, drive down crime, drive up public confidence and give local people more information and a bigger say in how their neighbourhood is policed.
Key measures
New measures include:
* strengthening legislation to clarify how police forces and authorities can work together by placing an explicit duty on police authorities to reflect their community’s priorities in their work
* creating a new role for HMIC to inspect the way in which police authorities carry out this requirement
* creating a new offence of paying for sex with a prostitute who is controlled for gain, alongside changes to loitering offences, kerb-crawling offences and brothel closure orders
* introducing a mandatory code of practice for alcohol retailers and a series of amendments to police powers to allow them to tackle young people drinking in public more effectively
* reclassifying lap dancing clubs so they require a sex establishment licence to give local people a say in their establishment and location
* widening the circumstances in which civil orders can be brought to restrict the activities of sex offenders and strengthen Foreign Travel Orders
* simplifying the authorisation procedures for Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act where there are collaborative arrangements between police forces to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations
From April 2009, police authorities will face regular inspection to test that they are visible to their communities and improving public confidence.
They will benefit from increased training for members to help them to deliver these goals, and will be provided with new powers to write the performance appraisal of their chief constable and ensure that they are delivering for their community.
GOVERNMENT RATIFIES EUROPEAN TREATY AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Date:
2008-12-17
Source: Home Office
Link: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/government-ratifies-convention
A major milestone in the fight against human trafficking was reached today when the government ratified the Council of Europe Convention Against Human Trafficking.
The ratification means the UK will formally become part of a Europe-wide agreement about setting minimum standards for protecting and supporting trafficking victims.
It also strengthens the UK’s ability to catch the criminals that exploit victims of trafficking and underlines the government’s long-term commitment to tackling this horrific crime.
Key elements
Key benefits of ratifying the convention include:
* a new national referral mechanism, providing a nationally agreed process to help frontline staff identify victims of trafficking and offer them support
* strengthened arrangements for looking after victims, including a 45 day reflection and recovery period, and the possibility of a one-year residence permit for victims
* better support for victims in giving information to police, which will help authorities bring those who exploit them to justice.
COMMON SENSE STANDARDS FOR FIGHTING CRIME AND RETAINING DNA
Date:
2008-12-16
Source: Home Office
Link: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/common-sense-standards
The Home Secretary today set out new common sense standards for use of investigatory powers and retention of DNA profiles.
Jacqui Smith outlined ways to strengthen how the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) (new window) is used by public authorities, and how and when DNA profiles are retained on the national database.
Consultations planned
In a keynote speech about protecting people while protecting their rights at the Intellect Trade Association, the Home Secretary announced a consultation on the use of RIPA that will examine:
* a revision of the Codes of Practice that come under RIPA
* which public authorities can use RIPA powers
* how those powers are authorised, and who authorises their use
She also announced that there will be a consultation on proposed changes to RIPA powers to bring them in line with tests of safeguards, openness, proportionality and common sense.
Careful action needed
In a wide-ranging speech on the rights of privacy in light of changing and expanding technology, she said the government has to think carefully about how long to retain DNA evidence.
The government will bring forward proposals for consultation on retention arrangements for DNA samples in a forensics white paper next year including:
* varying the timescale of retaining DNA evidence based on the seriousness of the offence, and possibly the age of and risk posed by the individual
* re-examining the retention arrangements for DNA samples
* ensuring police can retrospectively take samples for a longer period after conviction, and from those convicted overseas
In addition, the Home Secretary announced that the government will take immediate steps to take the DNA of children under 10 – the age of responsibility – off the database.
PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OVER THE HOLIDAYS
Date:
2008-12-16
Source: Home Office
Link: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/preventing-domestic-violence
A new enforcement campaign to protect and support victims of domestic violence over the Christmas period launches today.
The increased enforcement activity will run alongside a national television advertising campaign encouraging victims of domestic violence to seek support and not to suffer in silence.
The campaign will feature a woman at a celebration with people around her singing 'when we get behind closed doors'. It has the strapline 'Don’t suffer in silence’.
The adverts and posters are supported by Women's Aid (new window) and Refuge (new window) and will run until 15 January 2009 on national television.
The domestic violence enforcement campaign will run in 10 police force areas over Christmas, a time when women are at increased risk.
The campaign builds on the success of previous campaigns and encourages increased police-led activity in higher risk areas during seasonal peaks.
Key points
It will include:
* innovative tactics such as the use of body-worn video cameras by police
* dedicated domestic abuse response vehicles
* increased frontline policing and more specialist advice for officers at the scene of domestic abuse
* identification and targeting of the 10 highest risk perpetrators in each area – including proactive bail checks based on intelligence
* identification through multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARACs) of the ten highest risk victims in each area
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