Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

European Crime Prevention Award 2001

Heralded as the equivalent of the Eurovision Song Contest of the criminal justice world, the European Crime Prevention Award is a contest which aims to reward the best European crime prevention project. A cash prize of 10,000 Euros was presented to the best project in Utrecht on 10 December 2001.

This year six countries nominated projects for the European Crime Prevention Award 2001:

• Belgium

• Denmark

• France

• The Netherlands

• United Kingdom

• Sweden

Portugal and Finland hope to be able to nominate projects in 2002.

The international jury that has studied the six projects is happy to be able to state that the projects had a noticeably high level. They also confirmed that all the nominated projects focus on one of the three priorities of the European Network for Crime Prevention: prevention of juvenile crime, drug-related and municipal crime. Moreover, all the projects fulfil the Award’s criteria:

• Projects must not adversely affect the quality of life;

• They must focus on prevention of everyday crime;

• The solution of the problem should be community-based;

• Projects must show tangible results;

• The projects must be capable of replication by other organisations and communities.

It was therefore a difficult task for the jury to choose the final winner. Being nominated for the European Crime Prevention Award in itself is a prize; all the projects receive a certificate as permanent proof of their nomination.

The nominated projects:

BELGIUM	‘Graff ‘n Art, a Positive Graffiti Policy in the City of Bruges’	The City of Bruges
DENMARK	‘New Start’	Askovgaardens Centre for Method, Development and Quality
FRANCE	‘Reducing the Risks without Excluding: A Community Approach in Accompanying Drug Users'	The Association Ego
The NETHERLANDS	'GSM Phone Bomb'	The Amsterdam-Amstelland Police
SWEDEN	‘Support Centre for Young Victims of Crime’	The City of Stockholm and the Stockholm City Police
UNITED KINGDOM	‘Prolific Offenders Project’	Newcastle-under-Lyme

The winner

From the six nominated projects, only one can win the first prize. It was difficult for the jury to choose the winner of the European Crime Prevention Award from these projects, each and every one of which is excellent.

In the end the following considerations played a role:

• the duration of the project;

• the multi-faceted and creative approach to a widespread offence;

• the co-operation between public administration, the judiciary and the police;

• the appealing results.

In a nutshell - a fantastic achievement, worthy of being designated ‘winner of the European Crime Prevention Award 2001’ which was ‘Graff ‘n Art, a Positive Graffiti Policy in the City of Bruges’ of the City of Bruges.

Members of the jury:

BELGIUM	Mrs. Anne Meerkens, Mr. Philip Willekens
DENMARK	Mr. Arne Gram
FRANCE	Mrs. Josyane Clerici, Mr. Eric Lenoir
The NETHERLANDS	Mrs. M. Vos-van Gortel (Chair), Mrs. Jannie Pols (Secretary)
SWEDEN	Mr. Lars Alexandersson, Mr. Stig Mänsson
UNITED KINGDOM	Mr. Colin Passey, Mr. Roger Pearson

Last update: Wednesday, October 18, 2006