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Tackling crimes against small businesses: Lessons from the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Initiative

The crime problems faced by small retailers were highlighted in the Social Exclusion Unit's 2000 report on providing access to shopping facilities in deprived areas. In June 2001, the Home Secretary announced the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas (SRDA) initiative. Under this initiative £15 million of capital modernisation funds were made available over three years to strengthen the security of small retail businesses in the ten per cent most deprived wards in England and Wales. In total, over 12,500 businesses received assistance under the scheme. This report draws on evidence from the SRDA initiative and provides guidelines for practitioners working to increase the security and viability of small businesses. It is aimed at the police, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), local authorities, the business community, security professionals and other regeneration and voluntary groups working in the field.

Title: Tackling crimes against small businesses: Lessons from the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Initiative
Authors: Sally Parkinson, Home Office
Series: Home Office Development & Practice Report 29
Number of pages: 22
Date published: November 2004
Availability: Download full report from Home Office RDS website PDF 104Kb

Summary: key good practice lessons

Targeting – a problem-solving approach

• Combine hotspot/crime statistics analysis with regular consultation with businesses and the wider community when identifying a target area. This is important as the high levels of under-reporting among businesses mean recorded crime statistics may not reflect the true crime picture or wider perceptions.

• The focus of many retail crime projects has been to focus on upgrading the security of individual premises - good projects also think about problems within the wider retail environment. Try to develop a solution that is embedded in the local regeneration or neighbourhood strategy; one that benefits the local community.

• Consider whether the proposed action is likely to complement existing provision, work and initiatives in the area. Are there opportunities to share knowledge, contacts or tie-in funding?

• Projects should carefully survey all premises within the target area to determine their specific vulnerabilities and needs. For example, consider using a survey to assess each outlet on the basis of vulnerability to crime, how essential it is for the local community, and its existing security provision.

Business involvement – how to foster ownership

• Consider developing the role of a business owner to oversee and develop the project in liaison with CDRP/project staff. This helps to ensure that businesses drive the project forward and can help overcome the problems associated with turnover of staff from official agencies.

• Regular visits to businesses throughout a project will help agencies and project staff to manage expectations, avoid potential conflicts and build trust.

• Capitalise on any existing resources in the area to help build support for the scheme. Consider using established groups such as traders' associations, key local figures and where appropriate, the involvement of national chains to 'sell' the scheme to small businesses.

Thinking through interventions

• When choosing interventions, ask the following questions about each:

  • How will it work to solve the community's problems?

  • How will it work on the ground?

  • What needs to be in place for it to work as anticipated?

• Think carefully about the capacity of the project staff and businesses to carry the project forward, particularly where interventions require co-operation between businesses, for example radio links.

• Use innovative design and technology so as not to detract from the attractiveness of the shopping area, and where feasible, aim to improve its overall appearance.

Implementation

• Consider the practicalities of dealing with differing opening hours, trading practices and staff patterns etc. in order to ensure minimum disruption to trade.

• Ensure that the quality of all installation work is checked regularly, giving the businesses opportunity to give feedback.

• The effectiveness of interventions, particularly CCTV systems and alarms, is heavily dependent on them being installed, operated, and monitored effectively and this will require training. Training can in turn create a 'virtuous circle', engendering a greater ownership by recipients and ensuring greater sustainability of use and impact.

Sustainability and ongoing support

• A desire to create a sustainable project must underlie all initial plans. It is not just something to think about after implementation.

• Think about how best to ensure the ongoing use and maintenance of any equipment and also whether the businesses have the capacity to develop the crime prevention work in the future.

• Recognise that businesses will need support to carry projects forward. A strategy would be to develop the role of a key business owner and, if possible to link a project with an existing group from the start.

Getting a copy

Download 'Tackling crimes against small businesses: Lessons from the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Initiative' from the Home Office RDS website. PDF 104Kb

Last update: 26 November 2004