Criminal Damage Initiative 2006/07
Southampton
In 2006/07 the Home Office funded 10 areas to develop innovative approaches to tackling criminal damage. Of the £500,000, Southampton CDRP received £50,000. This report details how the funding was used in Southampton and summarises the main findings of the evaluation.Details of the Project
The project used surveys of residents to prioritise work in hotspot locations, publicised the efforts made to catch criminal damage offenders and undertook ‘fresh start’ clean ups of late night economy areas.
Main activities and outcomes
Aim: Analyse why certain areas were hotspots for criminal damage and anti social behaviour, and identify suitable interventions.
Activity: A survey of residents in 6 hotspot areas assessed the impact of criminal damage on residents, improved understanding of the problem and informed actions. Actions included Crime Reduction and Environment Weeks, a meet the people session, the purchase of two mosquito units and physical adjustments to doorways to reduce shelter to disperse young people, removal of a platform in woodland where illegal raves were taking place, and additional police patrols on Friday and Saturday nights to target young people drinking alcohol and causing anti-social behaviour.
Outcomes: Since removal of the platform in the woodland area, associated nuisance activities including criminal damage have declined. Additional police patrols resulted in over 30 confiscations of alcohol, eight young people were taken home in a drunken state and follow up visits and letters to parents took place. The operation had positive feedback from residents, business and parents. Meet the people sessions have resulted in approaches from 100 people.
Aim: Educate and inform people on the impact of criminal damage.
Activity: Additional funding was provided for communications relating to criminal damage and the impact that this has on the people and the place that is affected by criminal damage. Campaigns focussing on alcohol were used across Southampton around the festive season.
Outcome: A great deal of positive publicity, promotional information, leaflets and other forms of publicity were used effectively to get the message across to young people in particular.
Aim: Clean-up environment in late night economy areas to provide a ‘fresh start’ every day.
Activity: An extra street cleansing operative was employed to add to the three person team in place.
Outcome: This ‘fresh start’ has helped improve the life of residents. Maintaining public areas helps to maintain respect for the space. A presentation was given to other local authorities at a seminar in Bournemouth so that good practice can be taken to other areas.
Key Conclusions:
The project has brought about improvements to hotspot areas. Key factors which influenced the project were the publicity, the focus on the late night economy and the clean ups which generated respect for the areas.
Contact for further information:
Miranda Smith, Safe City Partnership Development Officer, Southampton City Council: Miranda.smith@southampton.gov.uk
Criminal Damage Reduction: criminal.damage@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Last update: Thursday, January 10, 2008