Introduction

Knowledgebase contains information, guidance, advice, links and statistics from crime reduction partners on a host of crime reduction topics and initiatives. It is truly interactive in that crime reduction partnerships and practitioners, statutory agencies, and the voluntary and community sector are encouraged to submit material for inclusion.

Knowledgebase contains a search engine, which uses keywords (meta-tags) applied to documents by the website administrators to place material under topics. These are either crime problems or crime solutions. Solutions are denoted by @ in their titles on the Knowledgebase index page.

Material is further broken down into a wide range of sub-topics. This makes it easier to find what you are looking for.

Entering the Site

Enter http://search.crimereduction.gov.uk/htdig/search.html into your browser.

Knowledgebase Guide

There are two ways of finding information in Knowledgebase.

Search for a topic

If you're looking for something specific, type the name or topic that you're looking for into the yellow search box to retrieve a list of what Knowledgebase thinks are the most relevant documents.

When searching for a topic, you can use the drop down boxes to refine your search.

Match:

All –, Match all finds documents that match all of the word entered.

Any - Match any finds documents containing any of the words entered,

Boolean – Allows you to combine search terms to refine your search.

Examples are: cat and dog, cat not dog, cat or (dog not nose).
Note that the operator not has the meaning of 'without'.

Format:

Long – Displays a lengthy summary format on the list of results

Short – Displays a shorter summary format on the list of results

Score By:

You can display the documents in a preferred order by choosing; Score, Time, Title, Reverse score, Reverse Time or Reverse Title.

To begin your search Type one or more search words in the search box. Press the Search button to start your search. Even though the number of results may be large, the most relevant content always appears at the top of the result pages if sorted by Score.

Crime Topics

Click on a crime topic to bring up a listing of every Knowledgebase document under that topic. Use the sub-topics to refine your search for specific types of information. Clicking on the document title will display the document in full.

Click on Knowledgebase on the lefthand side of the screen to return to the Knowledgebase, or click Back in your browser to return to the list of topics.

Knowledgebase Submissions

If you've got an article that you would like to submit to the site, please email crc@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk. Someone will be back in touch with you within 2-3 working days to let you know if it's suitable.

Guides to Submissions

Material submitted to the Crime Reduction Website will be edited and collated by the website manager (based at the Crime Reduction Centre, Easingwold, North Yorkshire) prior to posting on the site.

Material submitted to the website which does not meet these guidelines will be returned to its originator.

The decision of the website manager on the inclusion of material on the website shall be final.

Avoid "press release syndrome". Press releases tend to be ephemeral and, unless they are of national import or introduce a nationally innovative scheme or project capable of replication elsewhere, tell other practitioners very little that would be of use to them.

Material held within Knowledgebase as good practice will feed the crime reduction toolkits. All such material must contain evidence of independent evaluation by a 3rd party.

Information can be submitted in three ways:

1. Submitting a URL (web address) which will be added to the site by the webmaster using a ‘signpost’ document which acts as a reference to the submitted URL. This can be done using the electronic submission form on Knowledgebase.
2. Submitting an actual Word or HTML document to be added to the site content by the webmaster at the Crime Reduction Centre. Email the webmaster at stuart.charman@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
3. Webmasters of other crime reduction sites may meta-tag their sites so that the Knowledgebase search engine can 'spider' them and add these files to the Knowledgebase index. Contact the webmaster for further details of how to use this facility.

What to include in crime reduction projects or initiatives:

• information on the context in which the project/initiative was implemented - identify any special circumstances or 'hidden ingredients' which may have contributed to success or failure

• clear negative findings - what doesn't work is as important to know as what does work

• details of the intervention mechanisms (the principles by which the initiative actually worked in blocking the causes of the crime problem, eg restricting resources for offending)

• details of the intervention method (how the intervention was put into effect, eg clearing up bricks and bottles in the town centre before Saturday night drinking),

• details of the implementation process (how the intervention was targeted on the causes of the crime problem, designed and delivered)

• any insertion methods of particular interest (how other people or organisations in the community were mobilised to implement the method or otherwise support the initiative).

For further information on submissions click on submission guidance on the website