Criminal Damage Initiative 2006/07
Lancashire
In 2006/07 the Home Office funded 10 areas to develop innovative approaches to tackling criminal damage. Of the £500,000, Lancashire received £50,000. This report details how the funding was used in Lancashire and summarises the main findings of the evaluation.
Details of the Project
The project focused on understanding young people’s motivations for criminal damage offending, delivering diversionary activity and a media campaign aimed at offenders.
Main activities and outcomes
Aim: Engage young people to divert from criminal damage offending.
Activity: A contribution was made to the Burnley SPACE Bus (Social Place for Activities, Chilling out & Enjoyment) which was refurbished to provide laptop computers with internet access, 2 Xbox game consoles, and a flat screen television with DVD player alongside other facilities including a chill out area and an information zone. The bus is deployed five nights a week to hotspot areas and is staffed by qualified youth workers.
Outcome: The Youth Bus has been well supported by the community and is popular with young people. It allows youth workers, the police and other agencies to visit hot-spot areas and directly engage with hard to reach young people in their own environment. There is a noticeable reduction in incidents of criminal damage and ASB in areas where the bus is located.
Aim: To understand young people’s motivation for criminal damage offending.
Activity: Lancaster University interviewed 107 young people and a number of adults who provided services for young people to understand motivations for criminal damage offending.
Outcome: The research found that young people had a greater understanding of criminal damage than previously thought. ‘Boredom’ was a frequent response, but behind this there lies a continuum of justification for engagement in criminal damage which is shaped by the location of the damage and the reason for damaging property. Recommendations included providing more open and accessible youth services. The full report is available at: www.crimereduction.gov.uk/criminaldamage.
Aim: Raise awareness among potential offenders of the impact and consequences of criminal damage.
Activity: A radio and poster media campaign aimed to increase awareness about criminal damage as an offence, cause the offender to think about the effect of their actions on the victims and others, and publicise enforcement activity.
Outcome: Following the campaign, criminal damage reduced by 22%. Recognition of the campaign was 51% among those surveyed.
Aim: To raise awareness and remove graffiti
Activity: Preston Anti-Graffiti Campaign involved the purchase of 20 graffiti removal kits and 30 tins of protective coating for supply to 28 Neighbourhood Policing Teams. In addition, a graffiti database was compiled.
Outcome: A controversial marketing exercise attracted substantial press interest, although there was some misinterpretation of the intention of messages. The intervention was well received by the public. The graffiti database was instrumental in identifying juvenile gangs.
Aim: To showcase good practice in Lancashire and share information
Activity: A conference allowed stakeholders to share information and best practice. Part of the event was to share the lessons learnt and findings of the Lancaster Research and Media Campaign.
Outcome: Dissemination of learning and good practice to agencies within the area and across the country.
Key conclusions
- The project has resulted in an increase in public awareness of criminal damage and a better understanding of young people’s motivations for criminal damage offending.
- The Burnley SPACE Bus has been heralded a great success. It is now intended that the bus will be taken to more locations allowing more young people from all the borough access to the facilities.
Contact for further information:
Vincent Jubb, People & Communities Group, Government Office for NW: vince.jubb@gonw.gsi.gov.uk
Home Office Criminal Damage Reduction: Criminal.damage@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Last update: Friday, January 04, 2008