Some individuals live in high crime, deprived areas.
These can include inner-city housing estates, some rural
areas, and other locations which border these.
CASE STUDY:
Wear and Tees Farm Watch Initiative in Durham County
Wear and Tees covers a landmass of 560 miles, much of
which is rural land. This causes problems for policing as
officers cover large rural areas. The Farm Watch scheme was
initiated in Wear and Tees in 1998 in order to ensure that
residents within the rural areas received a quality of
service in line with their particular needs.
The Farm Watch scheme now has close to 1000 members
within the area and is running 14 separate schemes who work
closely with the police in order to address local issues.
Members of the scheme have formed an effective partnership
with the police, communicating using a licensed radio
network and mobile telephones. Members of the scheme report
suspicious incidents to the police assisting the police to
build on intelligence and the police also alert members of
suspicious vehicles or persons in the area.
Joint operations between the police and members are also
conducted, placing members with licensed radios at strategic
points with lists of target vehicles. There has been great
success as a direct result of such initiatives. Examples are
the recovery of stolen vehicles as a result of Farm Watch
operations and the recovery of stolen plant and machinery.
Since the introduction of Farm Watch within the area,
crime has reduced dramatically. The Farm Watch scheme has
helped to:
- Reduce crime and the opportunity for crime.
- Strengthen community spirit so that everyone can
participate in reducing crime.
- Reduce the fear of crime and increase public
reassurance.
- Build a strong partnership between the police and
local farmers.
Physical Environment
Neglected neighbourhoods are a major factor in
contributing to the fear of crime in people who are less
mobile, such as older people or disabled people.
There is evidence to suggest that worries about burglary,
mugging and vehicle crime varies between seasons, for
example it is higher during the long dark hours of winter.
CASE STUDY:
Bexhill Hotline, where locals report abandoned cars,
fly-tipping, etc. For further information please contact
Melvyn Elliott at Rother CDRP melvyn.elliott@rother.gov.uk
Please refer back to the Fear of Crime Toolkit for more
discussion and ideas on tackling these specific issues.
