Two Go Wild in Knowsley: Analysis for Evidence-led Crime Reduction (From Crime Reduction and Problem-Oriented Policing, P 20-37, 2003, Karen Bullock and Nick Tilley, eds. -- See NCJ-204054)

• NCJ Number: 204056
• Author(s): Michael Townsley; Ken Pease
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 18 pages
• Sale Source: Willan Publishing
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This chapter describes the work performed by academic advisers who assisted Merseyside Police's (Great Britain) efforts to conduct evidence-led policing routinely.

Abstract

The project aimed to develop an operation basic command unit (BCU) in accordance with the principles of evidence-led practice, which involves using best practices from both national and international applied criminological research and aggressive data analysis that will identify patterns in crime and disorder. The theoretical framework used for operations was problem-oriented policing. Two criminologists (the authors of this chapter) based in the police station coordinated the pilot project. A conscious effort was made to make neighborhood policing consistent with problem-oriented policing. Problems (groups of related incidents) were either defined internally, through crime pattern analysis or officer observation, or externally, through identification by citizens, business people, public officials, or volunteer agencies. Problems were addressed with the technique of SARA (scanning, analysis, response, and assessment). A significant percentage of project activities was committed to the development of a burglary initiative, which was designed to take advantage of the empirical research on burglary prevention. The aim of the burglary initiative was to reduce the incidence of domestic burglary through the prevention of repeat victimization and near repeat victimization. Three efforts were mounted under the principle of offender self-selection, which refers to the principle that offenders who have committed serious crimes will also engage in minor clearly observable offenses, such as illegal parking, driving through a bus-only zone, and not wearing a seatbelt. Consequently, the police focused on enforcement of these minor offenses in the belief that offenders who had committed major offenses would be found. The authors conclude that the project has had a promising beginning but will provide significant results only after recordkeeping and crime-analysis skills have been developed to high levels through training and practice. They note that recorded crime information is useful, but inadequate recording practices combined with cumbersome and rigid recording mechanisms impede efforts to understand crime patterns. 2 tables, 4 figures, and 12 references