Criminal Damage
Case Study: Don't Damage Your Communities
Lead agency: West Mercia Constabulary
Partners: Anti Social Behaviour Task Force, Safer Stronger Communities Partnership, Youth Forum, School Liaison Officers, Police Crime Risk Managers, Architectural Liaison Officers, Neighbourhood Officers, Housing Trust Managers, District and Parish Councillors, Fire Service, Trading Standards, Environmental Services.
Location: Telford and Wrekin
Dates: April 2005 - March 2006
Summary: Crime data and a community survey highlighted criminal damage as a problem in five priority wards. Analysis identified peaks in criminal damage activity, hotspot locations and an offender profile. An education campaign, ‘clean sweeps' in hotspot locations, local operations, high visibility policing and a publicity campaign were delivered. This activity resulted in reductions in the level of criminal damage and greater community and partner involvement in tackling the problem.
The problem
- Criminal damage accounted for the majority of reported crime in the five priority areas within Telford and Wrekin. These areas were wards with the highest levels of social deprivation in the Borough.
- A community survey found that 49% of residents were concerned about vandalism or damage to property.
- The project aimed to reduce criminal damage, reduce levels of concern about criminal damage, increase awareness of the consequences of criminal damage and enhance effective partnership working. Back to top
Action taken
- An analysis of crime data enabled the identification of hot spot locations and an understanding of characteristics of criminal damage. It found peaks in criminal damage and anti social behaviour during school and public holidays. Cultural events during October and November (Halloween, Bonfire Night, Muslim and Hindu religious celebrations) sparked peak periods of activity. This became known as ‘mischief week'.
- In addition, three types of crime victim were identified; schools and other public buildings, damage to vehicles in priority neighbourhoods, damage to dwellings in priority neighbourhoods. An offender profile in the priority areas showed that 33% of offenders known to have committed a criminal damage offence were aged between 11 and 16 years.
- The analysis of crime data led to the development of a number of initiatives:
- An education campaign, timed in advance of the summer holidays aimed to raise awareness amongst school children of the impact and consequences of criminal damage. Following consultation with young people, orange wristbands were designed with the message: Damage Wrecks Lives Crimestoppers 0800 555 111. School Liaison Officers worked with secondary schools to deliver the messages in assembly through a video presentation and distribution of the wristbands.
- High visibility police patrols were undertaken during problematic periods and in hotspot locations. In one area, Operation Rose identified and targeted priority offenders and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts were used as a preventative measure.
- During ‘mischief week', a co-ordinated media strategy involved providing posters and notices for residents, Police & PCSO high visibility patrols, Fire Service visits to locations prone to arson, Trading Standards visits to shops in priority areas and Environmental Services removing bonfires in hazardous locations.
- Clean Sweeps were organised in priority neighbourhoods. These areas were targeted for a two week period to improve the physical appearance of the neighbourhood. Activity included removal of fly tips, graffiti and abandoned vehicles, property repair, crime prevention advice, truancy sweeps and high visibility police presence.
- A publicity campaign ran throughout the operation which outlined the activities in advance of the operation, promoted the success of operations and provided ongoing promotion of projects to obtain wider community engagement and support sustainability. Back to top
What happened as a result?
- The first year of the project resulted in a 17.7% reduction in criminal damage in the areas, 34% reduction in criminal damage in schools and 65% reduction in criminal damage during one operation in a priority area.
- The project is ongoing and has motivated a residents group to produce a leaflet about criminal damage targeted at fellow residents and young people on a media course to produce a crime reduction toolkit. Back to top
What made it work?
- A robust and accountable partnership approach, which ensured the initiative, met the needs of the communities of Telford & Wrekin.
- The wristband campaign informed a key stakeholder group (young people) of the issues and the impact on them and their community. It also had an identifiable brand (orange wristband).
- The specific and relevant presentation delivered at Schools by the dedicated Schools liaison officers. In the targeted operations it worked because of the visible presence of officers and partners, together with the environmental improvements made.
- The communities could walk on their streets and see the improvements that had been completed (street cleaning, graffiti removal). Back to top
Last update: Wednesday, June 27, 2007
