Regional Data
We know that offenders often commit crimes close to home. One recent study (Rose,
2000) showed that to commit the offence:
35% of offenders travelled 4 miles or less
20% of offenders travelled between 5 and 10 miles
a further 20% travelled between 11 and 30 miles
This also shows that some criminals travel to commit crimes in areas other than
those in which they live. To capture these crimes in the audit, partnerships should:
Share and exchange data with the component members of neighbouring partnerships
and partnerships located within the same region so that each can fill in the gaps
in their own knowledge of criminals and crime within the partnership. For example;
for instance, data collected by the police can be used to identify which crimes are
'imported' (committed by criminals living outside the partnership) or 'exported' (committed
in the partnership by individuals who do not reside there).
Request data from authorities or organisations which cover a number of partnership
areas and which therefore collect data on crimes committed by criminals outside of
the partnerships in which they live; these could include the British Transport Police
or, for partnerships located in the London boroughs, the London Underground
Where crime involves travel between and across partnership areas, there may be
a number of reasons:
administrative boundaries that define crime and disorder reduction partnership
areas might not follow natural geographical, social boundaries or economic boundaries
that shape the routine activities of victims and offenders.
some types of crime may be organised on either a regional, national or international
basis.
some types of crime, by definition involve movement across boundaries e.g.
smuggling.
some crimes take place on transport networks.
Although police data will include information about offences committed in the force
area by those living elsewhere, it will not include data about those living in the
force area who commit offences elsewhere. This could be addressed by:
using the PNC to gather details of those convicted offenders whose home address
was within the area being audited.
arranging to routinely exchange information on imported and exported offenders
with other police forces.
liaising with national authorities (such as the British Transport Police) or
regional transport authorities (such as the London Underground) for data on transport
crime. This can help determine the levels of crime committed on transport facilities
within the partnership as well as travel trends both those living within the area
and committing crime and those travelling into the area to commit crime.
for some partnerships, notably those with air, land and seaports, customs evasion
is of particular concern. Some port authorities will have detailed information and
data on the nature, extent and costs of smuggling, such as tobacco and alcohol (and
migrants). It is the responsibility of partnerships to be aware of the general nature
and extent of customs evasion and related enforcement activities within their areas.
However, it will them be up to the partnership and the relevant agencies to determine
whether joined up action is practical or necessary. In many cases this may not be
the case, however, there may be scope.
partnerships that are predominantly, or partly, rural have particular issues
regarding crime and fear of crime. The Rural Crime Toolkit address these specific
issues. http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/toolkits/rc020203.htm
Tackling Cross Border Crime. Police Research Series 79, 1996.
Full report:http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/prgpdfs/fcdps79.pdf
Summary report:http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/prgpdfs/cdp79bf.pdf
The ‘road to nowhere’: the evidence for travelling criminals, Home Office Research
Study Briefing Note 4/00 Sept 2000 (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/prgpdfs/brf400.pdf)
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