Why Carry Out An Audit?
The crime and disorder audit is about one thing: understanding what is happening
in the partnership area and using that information effectively to help and promote
safe and healthy communities.
The audit should not be looked on an information-gathering exercise carried out
simply because it is required by statute. It is an essential tool in identifying the
needs of the community, addressing their concerns and looking to develop and implement
effective solutions based on the knowledge and insight gained from the audit.
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 places specific duties on local agencies and bodies.
It also requires the involvement of many other agencies within the community and
the community itself. That is because reducing crime and disorder is not simply
a matter for the police. Many aspects and areas of community life can help combat
the destructive and negative aspects of crime and disorder.
The audit will serve to provide the necessary information to inform and help create
the conditions in which individuals and communities themselves take the initiative,
to take control of their neighbourhoods for the benefit of all.
Cutting crime and disorder can add value to every aspect of life. For example,
reducing the level of alcohol-related assaults can make the streets safer. It can
also help reduce the amount of time and resources spent by medical and hospital staff
in dealing with the casualties, reduce the potential for assault on hospital staff
and minimise the need for follow-up action by GPs and support staff. If people feel
it is not safe to go into particular areas, then this may impact on the local economy
and on local community-based activities. Importantly, it will impact on the quality
of life of residents.
That is just one simple example. There are many others and this and other toolkits
in the series will highlight how a range of groups should be involved. But it does
illustrate how crime and disorder can relate itself to different parts of the community
and how its damaging consequences can impact in some way on everyone in that community.
This is why the audit is so important and:
why it should be looked on as a key element for all local agencies and groups
to be actively involved in the process of identifying and understanding what they
can do about crime and disorder; and
why those agencies and groups who consider crime and disorder to be the responsibility
of others should look to see what benefits they can contribute both
to the community and to the core functions of their own organisations.
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