Research > Crime solutions
The National Reassurance Policing Programme: a six-site evaluation
Reassurance policing is a model of neighbourhood policing which seeks to improve public confidence in policing. It involves local communities in identifying priority crime and disorder issues in their neighbourhood which they then tackle together with the police and other public services and partners. This report describes the key findings from an evaluation of the outcomes of the National Reassurance Policing Programme (NRPP) in England between 2003/04 and 2004/05. In keeping with many recent Home Office Research Studies, a 4-page Findings summary is also available.
Title: The National Reassurance Policing Programme: a six-site evaluation
Authors: Rachel Tuffin, Julia Morris and Alexis Poole (Rachel Tuffin)
Series: Home Office Research Study 296 (Findings 272)
Number of pages: 142 (4)
Date published: January 2006
Availability:
Download full research study
PDF 511Kb (Download summary of findings
PDF 42Kb)
The main aim of the study was to fill a gap in the research evidence on the impact of various local policing activities. The evaluation covered all 16 sites in eight forces that took part in the NRPP. This report presents the results from six sites which were each matched to a control site. These acted as a standard against which results could be compared. Findings from these six sites constitute the strongest element of the evaluation; findings from the remaining ten sites are published in
Home Office Findings
273: The National Reassurance Policing Programme: a ten-site evaluation
PDF 50Kb
Key points
Overall the programme had a positive impact on crime, perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour, feelings of safety and public confidence in the police.
When compared with the control sites, the programme delivered statistically significant reductions in crime and perceptions of five types of anti-social behaviour, and an increase in public confidence in policing and feelings of safety.
There was a programme effect on trust in the local area while other measures of social capacity showed no change.
Three of the six sites showed improvements in perceptions of anti-social behaviour problems, perception of the crime rate, and public confidence, which were statistically significant when compared to their control sites. Two of these three sites also delivered statistically significant reductions in crime compared to the control sites. One site showed improvement only in public confidence. The remaining two sites showed no improvement against these main indicators.
The programme had no effect on those contacting the police other than as a victim of crime. The sample sizes were too small to determine whether or not the programme had an effect on satisfaction of victims or those who were stopped or approached during the previous 12 months.
There were improvements in indicators of public perception of police engagement activity and resulting public awareness. Five of the six sites saw statistically significant changes on one or m o re of the indicators.
Analysis of the process data covering problem solving and community engagement for the individual sites was consistent with the outcomes achieved. Sites that showed a significant positive change in public perceptions of juvenile nuisance, for example, were the same sites that carried out targeted problem-solving activity.
Getting a copy
This report is available on the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website as either a full 142-page research study or a 4-page summary.
Download full
142-page research study
PDF 511Kb
Download 4-page
summary PDF
42Kb
Last update: 07 February 2006