Criminal Damage Initiative 2006/07
Mansfield
In 2006/07 the Home Office funded 10 areas to develop innovative approaches to tackling criminal damage. Of the £500,000, Mansfield CDRP received £50,000. This report details how the funding was used in Mansfield and summarises the main findings of the evaluation.
Details of the Project
This project aimed to reduce the level of alcohol related criminal damage in Mansfield town centre through preventative work, enforcement and education of businesses.
Main activities and outcomes
Aim: To prevent criminal damage offending.
Activity: A number of situational crime prevention methods were used including installing metal window grills and roller shutter doors on vulnerable premises to protect repeat victims, upgrading CCTV in the town centre and the use of loud speakers. This was supported by a media campaign involving local press and radio.
Outcome:
- No repeat victimisation relating to victims subjected to the Crime Prevention initiative.
- £5,000 was injected into the upgrading of Town Centre CCTV (part of a £65,000 upgrade) The benefits from the CCTV upgrades were not available during the project, as the upgrades were not completed by April 2007.
- Although there was an overall increase in Criminal Damage of 3% in the project period in comparison with last year this was mainly due to a ‘spike’ in December 2006 around damage to motor vehicles. Reductions were achieved gained in January, February and April 2007.
Aim: To undertake enforcement work on alcohol related criminal damage.
Activity: Dedicated CCTV viewing officers were used and Test Purchasing Operations took place at licensed premises. Covert observations were also done to test compliance with licensing legislation.
Outcome:
- A dedicated CCTV officer was in post for a 4-month period. The post holder assisted front line officers in securing evidence in relation to persons already in custody. The viewing of tapes did not yield any additional detections during this period although the majority of this officers time was spend on reviewing tapes for disclosure purposes for CPS. As a result of the ‘pilot’ the Chief Inspector will be submitting a ‘Business Case’ for consideration by Partners for a permanent dedicated post.
- Test purchase operations (sales of alcohol to under age buyers) - 55 checks – 11 Failures, 10 dealt with via fixed penalty notices with one ‘Designated Premise Supervisor’ served with summons to appear at Mansfield Magistrates. All other licence holders have received written warnings.
- Covert test purchase observations – 71 occasions – 5 failures, all issued with fixed penalty notices and licence holders have received written warnings.
Aim: Education and awareness amongst businesses
Activity: Bar and door staff at 20 licensed premises were trained on tackling underage drinking and disorder, including the Challenge 21 scheme and early intervention tactics for disorder within premises.
Outcome:
- Training completed for 173 bar staff and employees from on and off licensed premises.
- 8 Failures after the training with only 1 staff member, who attended the course, selling to under age - i.e. the majority are complying with legislation.
- Comparative data covering the project (1.11.06 to 31.03.07 with the same period in 05-06) shows an overall reduction in Assaults and Criminal Damage in the Town Centre of -10%.
- Comparative data (1.1.06-1.9.06 with 1.1.07-1.9.07) shows an overall reduction in assaults and criminal damage in the Town Centre of -18%
Key Conclusions
- A comparison of criminal damage offending between April-July 2006 and Dec-April 2007 showed a slight increase of 3%.
Contact for further information:
Sue Bryant, Crime Policy Manager, Government Office East Midlands: sue.bryant@goem.gsi.gov.uk
Home Office Criminal Damage Reduction: criminal.damage@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Last update: Friday, January 04, 2008