Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Violent Crime Seminar

15-16 September 2004
Aston University, Birmingham

Aims

• To provide good practice information on a range of initiatives which will be effective in tackling violent crime.

• To provide a forum for practitioners from around the country to share successful ideas, explore problems and barriers to success, and learn from each other's experience.

Summary

Wednesday 15 September

John Curtis, Home Office Regional Director for the Government Office West Midlands, introduced the seminar and the keynote speakers.

• Jackie Westlake, Home Office, gave an overview of the Government's Violent Crime Strategy.

Presentations and discussions on alcohol and the night time economy included:

• Phil Davies, South Wales Police, and Patrick Rees, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust on the Safer Swansea Partnership: Tackling alcohol and the night time economy in partnership with health.

• Jan Brown and Steve Greenacre, Manchester City Centre Safe, presented on Working in partnership with the Licensing Trade.

Presentations on guns and offensive weapons included:

• Supt Peter O'Neill, West Midlands Police presented on Policing Gun Crime

• Carole Eniffer, Home Office, gave an update on the outcomes of the "Connected" Gun Crime Conference.

• Gavin Butler, Government Office West Midlands, presented on Evidence Based Approaches to Reducing Gang Violence

• Reverend Nims Obunge, The Peace Alliance, spoke about a Community Response to Gun Crime.

Delegates selected two of the following workshops:

• Workshop 1
  Lancashire SAFE Centre: partnership working in supporting sexual assault complaints
  Carolyn Barrett, Manager/Forensic Nurse Examiner, and Cath Thundercloud, Lancashire Police

• Workshop 2
  Tackling Gang and Gun Violence
  Lorraine Briscoe, Aston Pride, and Doreen Bailey, Crown Prosecution Service

• Workshop 3
  Cross-cutting Violent Crime
  Carl Krueger and Andy Shakeshaft, Merseyside JAG

• Workshop 4
  Working with Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse
  Michelle Newcomb, The STELLA Project

Thursday 16 September

John Curtis, Home Office Regional Director for the Government Office West Midlands, introduced the second day of the seminar and the keynote speakers.

Presentations and discussions on domestic abuse included:

• Nina Dahms, Women's Aid, presented on the Impact of Domestic Violence on Children

• Sobia Shaw, Panahghar, presented on Domestic Abuse in BME Communities.

• Rachel Martin and Roy Tomlinson, Devon County Council, presented on Developing Domestic Violence (DV) Strategies across Partnerships.

In the afternoon, presentations and discussions on anti-social behaviour included:

• Bill Pitt, Manchester City Council presented on using ASB Legislation to tackle Violent Crime.

• Helen Nixon, Rotherham MBC, spoke about the Safer Rotherham Partnership's Effective Use of Anti-social Behaviour Contracts.

Delegates selected two of the following four workshops.

• Workshop 1
  Tackling Alcohol and Substance Misuse
  Paul Unsworth and Sgt Paul Robinson, Darlington CDRP

• Workshop 2
  Working with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence
  Anne Haynes, Consultant, and Sue Penna, Cornwall Domestic Violence Forum

• Workshop 3
  ASB - Supporting communities in gathering and presenting evidence
  Martin O'Connell and Sam McConnell, Oldham Against Crime Partnership

• Workshop 4
  Managing the Night-time Economy
  Chris Smith, West End Hot Box Co-ordinator, Westminster Council

Last update: Thursday, November 02, 2006