VIOLENCE REDUCTION UNITS (Vrus) in FOCUS a Multi-Agency and Public Health Approach to Support Young People and Divert Them Away from Serious Violent Crime

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VIOLENCE REDUCTION UNITS (VRUs) IN FOCUS A multi-agency and public health approach to support young people and divert them away from serious violent crime

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VRUs VRUs IN FOCUS IN FOCUS GREATER MANCHESTER VIOLENCE REDUCTION UNIT GREATER IN GREATER MANCHESTER, THE LAUNCH OF THE SERIOUS VIOLENCE ACTION PLAN IN JUNE 2020, MARKED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR THE CITY-REGION’S 15 MANCHESTER VIOLENCE VIOLENCE REDUCTION UNIT (VRU). THE VRU PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE REDUCTION DELIVERY OF THE ACTION PLAN, WHICH HAS FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT. UNIT “The VRU has also been bolstered by the appointments of Dr Rachel Jenner, a consultant in emergency 15 medicine at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, and community coordinator Michael Phipps, who has 18 years’ experience in youth and community work.” The VRU is delivering a combination of early intervention, education and prevention, alongside police This drives forward Greater Manchester’s community-led, enforcement action. The VRU’s approach will use different interventions throughout a person’s life to help place-based, public health approach to preventing reduce the propensity for violence. It is also working to embed a trauma-informed approach across the violence across the city-region. workforce, particularly in those services working with vulnerable children and young people. This will ensure frontline workers can spot the signs of trauma, provide trauma-informed support and signpost Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice people and families to appropriate services. An example is the pioneering work in Oldham involving and Fire, Bev Hughes, said: “In Greater Manchester, we contextual approaches to safeguarding in secondary schools. are committed unequivocally to strong enforcement against violent crime. DEPUTY MAYOR: BARONESS BEV HUGHES More than £4.5m has been devolved to Greater Manchester’s 10 VRU LEAD: DAN DIAMOND Community Safety Partnerships to develop local plans and initiatives, “Enforcement alone is not enough. We and a £500,000 community-led pilot is being rolled out in six Greater have to prevent violence happening in Manchester districts to allow residents and VSCE organisations to develop the first place as well as mitigate its Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit their own approaches and solutions. effects on those caught up in its wake. Between March 2019 and February 2020 That means intervening early using all Despite the challenges of COVID-19, work to tackle serious violence and PCCs MAKING A DIFFERENCE safeguard children and young people has not stopped. VIOLENCE REDUCTION the available evidence, insight and data to ensure we have the best possible UNITS (VRUs) IN FOCUS INITIATIVES INCLUDE: A multi-agency and public health approach to support young people and impact on reducing violent crime and Through divert them away from serious violent crime #ForeverAmnesty and • Developing a virtual reality programme to highlight the impact of violent 941 additional arrests its consequences.” Partners seized over partner working with UK linked to violent crime Border Force, weapons crime. Young people in Wigan helped develop the storyboard and filming destined for GM were The VRU brings together Greater intercepted which was due to take place over the summer. weapons in CMP carried out 204 Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Greater Manchester weapon sweeps • Detached youth work and mentoring schemes have continued across recovering many hidden

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VRUs Probation Service, health and education IN FOCUS one to one support is being given to more vulnerable children and young professionals, youth justice, local people. CONTENT authorities, and the voluntary, • Gym equipment provided to young people to support their mental health community and social enterprise sector. MERSEYSIDE SUSSEX ESSEX LANCASHIRE 91 test purchases and wellbeing during lockdown. VIOLENCE VIOLENCE VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE REDUCTION REDUCTION VULNERABILI- REDUCTION carried out on PARTNERSHIP PARTNERSHIP TY UNIT NETWORK As such, knife crime 1 2 3 4 It is led by Dan Diamond, seconded rresponsible retailers 04 06 08 10 awareness session have • GW Theatre Company has developed an online Home Learning Resource to gain evidence that been held more from the probation service to bring a Teamed up with will lead to prosecution than 3,000 pupils NORTHUMBRIA BEDFORDSHIRE WALES WEST YORKSHIRE aimed at protecting nine to eleven-year-old children from abuse and VIOLENCE VIOLENCE VIOLENCE VIOLENCE Trading Standards REDUCTION EXPLOITATION PREVENTION REDUCTION 5UNIT 6REDUCTION UNIT 7UNIT 8UNIT wealth of experience in dealing with the to ensure retailers are Educating young people 12 14 16 18 responsible in the is the key to a safer exploitation. drivers and subsequent consequences sale of knives Greater Manchester

AVON AND KENT LEICESTERSHIRE MAYOR OF SOMERSET VIOLENCE VIOLENCE LONDON’S VIOLENCE REDUCTION REDUCTION VIOLENCE of violent crime. The work of the VRU and partners is already having a positive impact. Data REDUCTION UNIT NETWORK REDUCTION 9UNIT 10 11 12 UNIT 20 22 24 26 suggests a decrease of 16% for all age knife-related hospital admissions Mr Diamond said: “Greater NOTTINGHAMSHIRE HAMPSHIRE GREATER WEST MIDLANDS VIOLENCE VIOLENCE MANCHESTER VIOLENCE between April 2018 and March 2020, and whilst the data is still being REDUCTION REDUCTION VIOLENCE REDUCTION UNIT UNIT REDUCTION UNIT 13 14 15 UNIT 16 Manchester has a history of strong 28 30 32 34 verified, we also believe there has been an encouraging reduction in overall partnerships, working across THAMES VALLEY SOUTH YORKSHIRE knife-crime. VIOLENCE VIOLENCE REDUCTION REDUCTION 17 UNIT 18 UNIT22 sectors to innovatively tackle complex issues. The VRU is no different 36 38 and boasts a membership who each bring unique insight to tackling CONTACT: Damian Dallimore at [email protected] 03 APCC © 2020 020 7222 4296 www.apccs.police.uk serious violence. We also work closely with academics, health Daniel Diamond at [email protected] professionals and community leaders.

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