SAFE FOR NOTTINGHAM

THE NOTTINGHAM CITY CRIME, DRUGS AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR STRATEGY 2005-2008

CONTENTS PAGE

1. Preface: Making Nottingham a Safer Place to Live and Work 3 2. Strategy Content and Context 4 3. Achievements 2002-05 8 4. The Nottingham Crime, Drugs and ASB Audit: Key Findings and Consultation 9 5. From Audit to Strategy: Our Vision for the City 12 6. Reducing Overall Crime in Nottingham 13 7. Reducing the Harm Caused By Drugs and Alcohol 21 8. Reducing the Impact of Anti-Social Behaviour 25 9. Cross Cutting Themes 27 • Respect for Nottingham 27 • Better Supporting At-Risk Young People and Reducing Recidivism 29 • Strengthening Support for Witnesses and Victims 30 10. Delivering the Strategy 32 • Tackling the Long Term Causes of Crime • Improving our Neighbourhood Focus • Strengthening Engagement with Nottingham’s Diverse Communities • Targeting Prolific and other Priority Offenders • Every Child Matters • Adopting Crime Reduction as a Mainstream Activity • Strengthening our Partnerships and Performance Management Systems • Improving Communication to Reduce the Fear of Crime • Who’s Involved • Community Safety Working Groups • Our Resources • Glossary • Action Plans

2 1. PREFACE: MAKING NOTTINGHAM A youth offending workers and drug treatment workers are clearly SAFER PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK integral to this strategy. Equally important are the ‘eyes and ears’ of people such as housing officers, voluntary workers, primary care Nottingham is a vibrant and ambitious City. Local agencies have workers, refuse collectors, meals on wheels staff and shop workers voiced their desire to continue to attract inward investment and plus the individual members of all Nottingham’s diverse communities. tourism to the City, to strengthen and regenerate neighbourhoods and to be at the forefront of new technology and sustainable Secondly, we have to understand and act on the concerns of the development. The East Midlands as a whole has an ambition to be in residents and businesses of Nottingham. The great majority of the top 20 European areas by 2010. people are fed up with the behaviour of a minority damaging their neighbourhoods and the reputation of the City as a whole. It was this We also want Nottingham to be one of the safest cities in Europe. that inspired our Respect for Nottingham strategy that has already Whilst significant progress has been made over the last three years improved the way people view their neighbourhoods. The kind of in driving down unemployment and driving up educational focused action that informed Respect also informs this strategy, attainment, levels of crime, drug misuse and anti-social behaviour which offers a blueprint for addressing the issues that concern remain unacceptably high. This is why the overall aim of this strategy people living and working in Nottingham. is to deliver sustainable reductions in crime, anti-social behaviour and the drug use that drives much of it over the next three years. We The strategy builds on our experience in the City and emphasises a have a better picture than ever about the nature of the problem as a collaborative and inclusive approach that understands the need for a result of the 2002-04 Audit and we have combined these findings balanced strategy covering education, prevention, enforcement and with extensive consultation to set the priorities contained within this treatment. It also provides a means for us to improve our document. performance locally and for the community to hold us to account. As you read through the document, please think about what you can do To deliver the gains outlined we will have to build on two factors. to make the City a safer place. We need everyone to work together First, the tremendous commitment from all the agencies in the City to over the next three years so we are able to the make Nottingham the working in partnership and ensuring community safety goals are City its residents deserve. delivered by all staff regardless of role. Police and probation officers, 2. STRATEGY CONTENT AND CONTEXT transformed over recent years, with a combination of economic development and regeneration efforts encouraging its repopulation 2.1 Local Context and its burgeoning reputation as a centre for shopping and entertainment. It is a cosmopolitan city benefiting from a young and This strategy outlines the priorities of the Nottingham City Crime and diverse population. The City is made up of diverse communities and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) and the Nottingham City areas that contribute to the range of attractions we can offer Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT). These strategic residents and visitors alike. partnerships, representing the range of public, community and voluntary sector partners listed in Section 10 are respectively The City also faces a number of social problems, with 60% of wards th charged with addressing crime and drugs and they have come in the 10% most deprived nationally and the city ranked as the 7 together to develop this shared strategy as a result of the close link most deprived local authority. Central Government has identified between drugs and crime, especially acquisitive crime such as shop Nottingham as a City with a significant drugs and crime problem, and theft and burglary. Over the next three years they will also be rightly expects local stakeholders to significantly improve delivery of developing shared functions and looking to co-locate to maximise the national crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour strategies at a delivery of the services outlined. local level. This is why we have developed a focused three-year strategy containing a series of stretching targets intended to bring The CDRP is also one of the thematic partnerships of the One City crime down to the average in our ‘family’ of comparable Cities. Partnership Nottingham, the Local Strategic Partnership. OCPN will drive forward the Nottingham Community Strategy over the next The CDRP and DAAT are committed to working in partnership with three years, and this also places drug related crime, anti-social other agencies, and the targets and priorities contained in this behaviour and crime reduction at the heart of achieving the shared document have been closely synchronised with those outlined in the vision for Nottingham developed by local partners. following aligned local strategies:

Nottingham has a population of almost 280,000 people and is a City that is witnessing significant economic development as it moves further from its manufacturing base. The City Centre has been

4 • The developing Nottingham Community Strategy and the 2.2 The National Context: Tackling Crime, Improving Neighbourhood Renewal and Sustainable Communities Health, Employability and Educational Attainment

agenda Nottingham is expected to deliver against a series of challenging • Greater Nottingham Partnership strategies national crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour related targets, and • The City Primary Care Trust Local Delivery Plan and Prison the Home Office has introduced specific policies to drive the Health Strategy implementation of this agenda nationally. These are: • The Nottingham City Council Strategic Plan and Community Cohesion strategy • The White Paper Building Communities, Beating Crime • The Children and Young People’s Strategic Planning which promotes strong partnerships and instigates the Partnership and the developing Youth Justice Plan 2005-08, review of the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act the Service Plan for the City Youth Service, the Teenage • The National Policing Plan outlines the framework within Pregnancy Strategy which local policing is to be delivered to the public • The City Housing Strategy, the Supporting People Strategy • The new Safer and Stronger Communities Fund (SSCF) is and the Homelessness Strategy designed to increase local influence over community safety • The Policing Plan for Nottinghamshire and the City Division and neighbourhood renewal interventions and pools a Policing Plan series of existing budgets in 2005/06 • Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service Community Safety • Local Area Agreements from 2006/07 will broaden the Strategy scope of the SSCF and provide a ‘virtual pooling’ of a • Existing community safety related strategies including the number of budgets including community safety plus some Respect for Nottingham Strategy, Supporting Communities children’s and health funding Strategy and Priority and Prolific Offender Strategy • Tackling Drugs, Changing Lives: Keeping Communities • The Night-Time Economy and Licensing Strategies Safe From Drugs outlines the review of the national drug • The Integrated Student Strategy strategy and progress to date in implementing the Models of Care national service framework and DANOS (drug and alcohol national occupational standards) in treatment services

5 The Home Office has also outlined new Public Service Agreements The Department of Health 2004 Public Service Agreement has four for the period covering 2005-2008. These are: primary objectives. These are:

• PSA 1: To reduce crime by 15% and more in high crime • To improve the health of the population by increasing life areas expectancy and reducing health inequalities • PSA 2: To re-assure the public, reduce fear of crime and • To improve the health of people with long term conditions anti-social behaviour and build confidence in the criminal • To improve access to services justice system • To improve the patient and user experience • PSA 3: To bring 1.25 million offences to justice in 2007/8 • PSA 4: To reduce the harm caused by illegal drugs, If we are able to widen access to drug treatment by making services including substantially increasing the number of offenders more attractive to women and people from black and minority ethnic entering treatment through the criminal justice system communities and can begin to reduce problem drug use we will • PSA 6: To increase voluntary and community engagement improve people’s health and life expectancy. Likewise, if we can reduce fear of crime and challenge repeat victimisation we will We have set challenging targets in response to this agenda. These improve many people’s mental health. are outlined in our strategy. However, these issues cannot be tackled in isolation, as crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour are not caused Similarly, the Department for Education and Skills PSA has four by any one factor. They are exacerbated by social exclusion and primary objectives. These are: poverty, and the impact is felt in the criminal justice system and by • health, social care and education services as well as by business To safeguard children and young people and improve their and the wider community. If we are able to reduce crime we will also life outcomes and general well being and break cycles of enable our partners to make real advances towards meeting their deprivation targets. In particular, health, community cohesion, educational • To raise standards and tackle the attainment gap in schools attainment and employability will improve. • To ensure all young people aged 19 are ready for skilled employment or higher education • To tackle the adult skills gap

6 Reducing criminality through working with schools, Connexions, the • Promoting the development of the English regions by Youth Service and Youth Offending Team to divert young people into improving economic performance alternative activity will give children a greater chance of achieving these goals. Getting adults off class A drugs and providing training Again, it is clear that tackling crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour, will enable former users to re-enter the workplace. Domestic violence especially in areas of multiple deprivation, will improve the quality of often results in dislocated schooling and impacts on exam results for life in areas where regeneration efforts have often been difficult. children as mothers move from the family home to refuges. Reducing Turnover and tenancy abandonment will reduce and this will help it will improve children’s educational attainment, as will better develop sustainable, balanced communities where residents can feel targeting and mentoring of children of problem drug and alcohol safe in public spaces. using parents. The benefits of achieving the projected outcomes in this strategy are Finally, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has a Public enormous, and this is the reason why every organisation and Service Agreement to deliver. Its aim is to create sustainable individual in the city is being asked to support this work. Further communities by: benefits include:

• Delivering a better balance between housing supply and • An improvement in the quality of life in local communities demand by supporting sustainable growth, reviving markets and confidence in the Police, Council and other agencies and tackling abandonment • A boost to regeneration and economic development • Ensuring people have decent places to live by improving the • A significant reduction in the costs of crime to the City quality and sustainability of local environments and • A freeing up of resources to be spent on achieving further neighbourhoods reductions in crime or aligned priorities such as health and • Tackling disadvantage by reviving the most deprived education neighbourhoods and through reducing social exclusion • Improvements in the image of the City both locally and • Delivering better services by devolving decision making to nationally the most effective level – regional, local or neighbourhood

7 3. ACHIEVEMENTS 2002-05

The new strategy offers the opportunity to assess progress to date and share good practice. There have been a significant number of new developments as part of the previously separate Crime and Drug Strategies as shown below. Many of these projects have resulted in significant community safety gains and we are committed to reviewing and evaluating all existing services over the life of this strategy 2002 2003 2004 Arrest Referral Scheme introduced into Police Respect for Nottingham initiative DAAT DIP Programme develops assertive stations for drug and alcohol offenders, plus first launched, targeting begging, outreach and tracking systems for drug related full year of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders prostitution, drug dealing and enviro- offenders crime Drug testing of all ‘trigger offence’ arrestees Operation Stealth, part funded by the The ‘No Excuses’ domestic violence campaign introduced, with 12,500 tests carried out Communities Against Drugs targets perpetrators and includes cinema, between 2002 and 2005, with over 50% Programme, is targeted on City drug football and bus adverts aimed at increasing positive for opiates and/or cocaine dealers awareness and reporting of domestic violence Supporting People scheme introduced, enabling Government encourages partnerships Drug Testing for 14-17 year old arrestees is partners to develop a strategic approach for to focus on prolific offenders and introduced to enable agencies to provide early supported housing for offenders and substance provides funding for Drugs Intervention intervention for young offenders who are misuers Programme and Sherwood Project, misusing class A drugs. Between September both of which seek to reduce drug 2004 and March 2005 457 people have been related crime tested, with less than 5% positive Burglary Reduction Team pilot SMARTWATER Waiting List Reduction Programme The Kerb Crawling Task Force is created to to reduce repeat burglary victimisation, and reduces drug service waiting times from crack down on street prostitution through achieve a reduction from 26% to 5% in re- over 4 weeks average to less than two supporting women to exit prostitution and victimisation of targeted properties weeks by 2005 targeting clients and pimps Street Crime Initiative is launched in areas with Supporting Communities Initiative Operation Country 3 and 4 targets prolific high numbers of street offences. Nottingham designed to address prevention issues vehicle crime offenders in the City and begins to achieved a 9% reduction over an 18-month for young people at risk of involvement reduce car crime from a high point in 2003/04 period in gang and gun crime begins Aided by national Government, the City Council Homelessness, Supporting People and Introduction of the Anti-Social Behaviour Mobile and Police make a significant investment in City Drug Strategies pilot shared Task Forces including police, council and CCTV in high crime areas and the City Centre objectives in tacking substance misuse community drugs officers Days of Action and truancy sweeps are Community Chest programme launched YOT and DAAT develop Public Service established to pinpoint ASB in local by City Council and DAAT to enable Agreement targets to reduce recidivism and neighbourhoods and increase public confidence community led environmental increase numbers of people in drug treatment in local services improvements 4. THE NOTTINGHAM CRIME, DRUGS AND • Street crime has fallen by 9% between 2002/03 and ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AUDIT: KEY 2003/04 FINDINGS AND CONSULTATION • Recorded assaults have risen 16% between 2002/03 and

2003/04 Knowledge about the problem is crucial – we do not want to be • There are an estimated 10,920 women in Nottingham imposing solutions that are no longer relevant as a result of changing currently experiencing domestic violence, and an estimated crime patterns or community needs. We are also keen to develop 25% of all violent crime is domestic violence solutions supported by local people. As a result of this we conducted • Rates of serious violent crime including gun crime are an in-depth audit and a series of community consultation exercises. unacceptably high, though are broadly comparable with The audit process was in greater depth than previous exercises and most urban areas and lower than those in Manchester, reveals the extent of the problem we are facing. It will not do for us to Liverpool and Birmingham. minimise the nature of the task ahead, and we have set ambitious • There has been an increase in racist incidents. Homophobic targets based on our findings. The full audit document is available on crime has also increased but still suffers from significant request, and the key findings are as follows: under-reporting.

• Shop theft and levels of credit card and cheque fraud have 4.1 CRIME reduced in the two years to 2003/04.

• The number of non-accidental secondary fires has risen Recorded crime statistics tell us that overall crime has fallen slightly between 2001/02 and 2003/04. between 2002 and 2004. However, within these figures: • Youth crime has increased in the North of the city and fallen

in Meadows, Sneinton and St Anns. Youth burglary and • There were 71,875 criminal offences recorded in the city in robbery rates have fallen across the city, though rates of 2003/04, around one for every fourth person in the city. This vehicle crime have stayed broadly stable. has fallen from almost 74,000 in 2002/03. • Young people aged 18-25 are most likely to be the victims • Burglary and vehicle crime rates fell in 2003/04 but remain of crime, and students are particularly susceptible to the highest in England and Wales per head of population burglary and street crime. 4.2 DRUGS AND ALCOHOL problem significantly increases the chances of becoming involved with crack and heroin Nottingham’s position as a major urban area, and the associated • Women living with domestic violence are 15 times more problems of deprivation, mean that the prevalence of substance likely to misuse alcohol and 9 times more likely to misuse misuse is high. drugs than average • Treatment works: For every pound spent three is saved • The major problematic behaviour identified in the elsewhere in the criminal justice system (Home Office, Nottingham Anti-Social Behaviour Survey 2004 was drug 2003). Waiting lists for treatment have reduced and misuse and dealing programme outcomes for treatment services have improved • There are over 3,000 problem drug users in Nottingham, in 2003/04 with around 1,500 in treatment • The major drugs misused are heroin and crack cocaine, • The great majority of heroin and crack users are white males though secondary use of cannabis and alcohol is reported by aged between 26 and 35 many problem users. Nationally, almost 50% of young • Around 50% of people arrested for acquisitive crime test people have experimented with cannabis • positive for heroin and/or crack/cocaine Heroin and crack addicts may require between £15-25,000 • Most problem users, and the crimes they commit, are per year to fund their habit, but only 8% of people in concentrated in the inner city wards of Arboretum, Bridge, treatment are in full time employment. Overall, the cost to Dales, Radford and Park and St Ann’s wards the city can be estimated at just over £300m per year • • There is a strong link between drug misuse and single There was an increase in alcohol related assaults in City homelessness and over 90% of beggars and street Centre licensed premises between 2002 and 2003 • prostitutes have drug problems There are an estimated 16,390 18-24 year olds binge • Vulnerability due to youth homelessness, being looked after drinking in Nottingham by the local authority (in care), being excluded from school and being the child of someone with a drug or alcohol

10 4.3 ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 4.4 CONSULTATION

The Nottingham Anti-Social Behaviour Survey 2004 was completed In developing the strategy the CDRP and DAAT ‘market tested’ their by over 2,000 residents and revealed that the majority of residents proposed priorities through the comprehensive ASB survey and via a (78%) are satisfied with Nottingham as a place to live. However, 38% number of citywide and local events. Findings revealed that local felt the City had deteriorated as a place to live compared with only people were most concerned about: 16% believing it had improved despite a slight reduction in crime rates in 2003/04. This was primarily because 68% of residents have • Crime: Burglary, vehicle crime and violent crime been individually affected by ASB. Reducing fear of crime and anti- • Drugs: Dealing, begging, drug related crime social behaviour and better engaging with our diverse community is • ASB: Vandalism/criminal damage, ‘street’ issues such as a key part of this strategy. drinking and litter

• The key issues affecting the City as a whole were prioritised Consultation with local agencies after the audit was complete also as begging, drugs, litter, street drinking, boy racers/speeding highlighted the need to address four emerging issues that the cars and graffiti/vandalism previous Crime strategy had not prioritised. These are: • The most important issues in local neighbourhoods were youth issues, car crime, vandalism, drugs and burglaries. • The increase in binge drinking and alcohol related violence • Hot spots for incidents involving young people are the City • The need to better engage with community groups and Centre, Meadows, Sneinton, and Bestwood improve accountability to the public • Hot spots for community problems and related disorder are • The need to develop a domestic violence strategy and Bulwell, Broxtowe, Aspley, St Ann’s, Bestwood, Top Valley ensure that violence against women is properly addressed and parts of Clifton. • To establish a baseline and begin to more strategically • A one-day count of ASB in 2003 by schools, police, housing address race crime and homophobic crime staff and wardens revealed 561 incidents, including 155 of dumped litter/rubbish, 78 vandalism and criminal damage, 64 abandoned vehicles, 50 harassment and 30 drugs issues.

11 5. FROM AUDIT TO STRATEGY: Hence many of our detailed targets, for example around reducing OUR VISION FOR THE CITY alcohol related crime, will be shared between the different objectives.

Our overall vision is to:

Systematically reduce crime, problem drug use and anti-social behaviour to the average levels in our ‘family’ of comparable cities, and to make the City a safer place to live and work.

To do this we have adopted a series of stretching targets that fit into six overall objectives. These are:

• To reduce overall levels of crime, particularly drug related crime • To reduce the harm caused by drugs and alcohol and to improve the health of users and drinkers • To tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce fear of crime • To increase ‘Respect for Nottingham’ and pride in the City

• To better support young people at risk and reduce the

recidivism of young offenders

• To reduce repeat victimisation and better support witnesses

Though we have developed these six objectives, crime does not always fall into neat categories, and the linkages between these necessitate some overlap between our targets and action plans.

12 6. REDUCING OVERALL CRIME LEVELS Our audit revealed that drug misuse contributes to a high percentage IN NOTTINGHAM of crime, especially acquisitive crime. Positive drug tests on arrest for burglary, shop theft and other testable offences revealed that, HEADLINE TARGET 1: We will reduce overall crime as between 2002 and 2004, over 50% of offenders had heroin and or measured by the British Crime Survey 2003/04 baseline by crack/cocaine in their bloodstream. Our target to reduce drug related 26% between 2005 and 2008 crime (crimes committed as a result of people requiring money to purchase drugs, usually crack and heroin) will be measured through HEADLINE TARGET 2: We will reduce drug related crime focusing on a cohort of criminals testing positive for class A drug use after arrest. We will particularly target these individuals through our as measured by testing within Police cells by 30% focus on priority and prolific offenders in two new projects: between 2005 and 2008

• The Drug Intervention Programme is improving access to Local partnerships are expected to deliver an average reduction in treatment for drug offenders and improving treatment crime of 15% over three years. However, Nottingham, as a High outcomes by case conferencing target individuals. In Crime Area (HCA) is expected to deliver a greater reduction. The 2004/05 there have been 315 offenders entering specialist Nottingham CDRP and DAAT have decided to set a challenging treatment through the programme and 50 Drug Treatment stretch target of 26% using, as advised by Government, 2003/04 as and Testing Orders a baseline.

This demonstrates our resolve to bring crime down towards the • The Sherwood Project supports and tracks drug related average for comparable Cities, and outlines our confidence that the prolific offenders and ensures that if they continue to offend foundations upon which we are building this strategy are strong they are subject to prison or probation based penalties. In enough to deliver the gains outlined. As outlined, a number of the first year over 200 offenders have been on the project projects were instigated in 2003 and 2004. These have already brought down crime in the City by a projected 8.1% for 2004/05. The crimes contributing towards these targets are those contained within the annual British Crime Survey of recorded crime. These are:

13 • Residential burglary The 10 Key Objectives for reducing overall crime are: • Vehicle Crime • Street robbery and theft from person 1. We will reduce domestic burglary by 37.6% on • Arson baseline

• Violent crime and assault We are aiming to continue to reduce domestic burglary. It is a crime

that Nottingham residents remain particularly concerned about due Because of the findings from our audit, and as a result of our public to its invasive nature and emotional impact. We want people to feel consultation, we have also decided to target five additional crimes. secure in their homes, and though there have been significant These are: reductions in burglary over the last year Nottingham City still has the

highest rate of domestic burglary in England and Wales. • Gun Crime

• Domestic violence This is partly consistent with the City also having a high number of • Hate Crime students, with many burglary victims being student houses of • Business crime multiple occupation. Nevertheless, the current rate remains high, and • Alcohol related crime we a planning to reduce it significantly over the life of this strategy.

Our priorities for burglary reduction are: We have established Ten Key Objectives, each with a supporting target. These will be managed by our task groups through individual • To target prolific burglars, especially those with drug action plans. Each action plan will contain SMART (Specific, problems Measurable, Achievable, Resourced/Realistic and Timely) targets • To expand use of SMARTWATER property marking and and will be project managed by a partnership based task group target hardening to reduce repeat victimisation containing representatives of all the relevant agencies and • To work in hotspots to address environmental factors community groups. For greater detail on the actual number of crimes • and the incidence of drug misuse and anti-social behaviour refer to To work with vulnerable groups such as students our Crime, Drugs and Anti-Social Behaviour Audit 2002-2005.

14 2. We will reduce street robbery by 30% on baseline, 3. We will reduce serious vehicle crime by 41% on and theft from person by 28.5% baseline

We will continue to target street criminals, and will learn the lessons Nottingham City also has unacceptably high rates of vehicle crime, of the Street Crime Initiative that has been running in the City for with the offence being the highest ‘volume crime’ in the City. We almost two years. It has been clear from this initiative that the have worked to ensure vehicle crime in car parks has been reduced reduction in street crime (street robbery with threat of violence, or through ‘secure by design’ schemes and have been targeting car ‘mugging’) and theft from person (bag snatching from person or owners to ensure they are aware of the need to ensure valuables are public place) has been caused by better targeting of hotspots and out of sight. We have also launched campaigns to make people prolific offenders and improved work with the Courts to process aware that the target of many burglaries is often car keys. Our aim is offenders more quickly. to sustain and extend the significant reductions in vehicle crime that have started in 2004/05. There has also been an expansion of targeted prevention to work with ‘at risk’ groups of young people, and a focus on the treatment Our priorities for vehicle crime are: needs of people with drug problems. • To enhance forensic opportunities and develop minimum Our priorities for street robbery for are: standards for investigations • To reduce repeat victimisation through hotspot patrols • To conduct an awareness campaign amongst those most at • To enhance crime prevention activity risk of becoming victims • To identify, and adopt if appropriate, best practice in other • To target prolific offenders through the Sherwood Project areas and other schemes • To improve youth work and diversionary activity to prevent

the next generation of street criminals

15 4. We will stop the increase in violent crime and 5. We will reduce arson and deliberate fire starting by assault and reduce it year-on-year between 2005 5% year-on-year between 2005 and 2008 and 2008 We are also keen to continue addressing the criminal damage Whilst other criminal offences are falling, there has been a gradual caused by deliberate fire starting. This type of criminal damage has a increase in violent crime over the last few years as evidenced by our major impact on many areas of society by the damage and Audit. Violent crime is also a major factor in the fear of crime. destruction of property and the potential for injury and loss of life. Although malicious calls and arson related building fires continue to Much of this crime involves domestic incidents and alcohol related fall there were over 500 deliberate property fires in 2004. Notts Fire offences, for which we have separate action plans. With domestic and Rescue Service has established an Arson Task Force to reduce violence and hate crime we are keen to increase reporting of these the deliberate fires which are started for a wide variety of reasons offences, so our projected reductions are not as drastic as in other including witness intimation, racially motivated arson, insurance areas. Nevertheless, one of our overall priorities is to impact on fraud and arson with intent to endanger life. Our priorities are: violent crime so it levels out and then begins to fall. Hence, our priorities are: • To use new legislation contained in the 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act to prosecute offenders with greater vigilance • To more effectively map hotspots for violent crime and work • To fully investigate with the Police and partner agencies all with partners to implement localised environmental deliberate primary fires improvements (better lighting, CCTV etc) • To support diversionary activity for young people, • To target alcohol related crime and domestic violence particularly targeting those at risk of offending • To support victims of, and witnesses to, violent crime and to • To work with owners/occupiers to increase arson prioritise community re-assurance awareness and prevention to reduce the opportunity for • To support and enhance the work of the Multi-Agency Public arsonists Protection Panel. MAPPA exists to manage offenders who • To work closely with the Anti-Social Behaviour task forces pose the highest risk of harm to the public of Nottingham, and Fire Service to target hotspots and identify prolific such as sex offenders and violent criminals offenders

16 6. We will develop a gun crime strategy based on 7. We will establish a robust baseline and increase reducing incidences of gun crime and improving reporting of domestic violence community confidence Domestic violence is an offence that often goes unreported. It is also The Council, Police and the voluntary and community sectors have an offence with considerable long-term costs to society. Nationally, it come together to say ‘enough is enough’ and are in the process of is estimated that the total cost of domestic violence to society is developing a hard hitting strategy. We will take more focused action £23bn (ODPM, 2004). The emotional impact on the victim and on to reduce the incidence of drug and gang related gun crime in family members and children is serious, and it can result in the victim Nottingham and to reduce the impact of gun crime on the confidence having to flee secure housing and become homeless, and children of our communities. The reputation of the City has been harmed by a having to move school. Local estimates reveal that in excess of series of high profile shootings, many of them connected to the 10,000 women at any one point are suffering from domestic violence dealing of class A drugs. The new strategy will better target known and Women’s Aid receives an average of 700 calls per month. criminals, including associated drugs and gang cultures, and will build on Supporting Communities to address the causes of gun crime Our priorities are to increase means of reporting domestic violence, in disadvantaged communities. Our priorities are: including rape, sexual assault and stalking as well as violence in the family home or within relationships, and to improve support to • To establish a baseline and then reduce gun crime year on women so they are confident enough to take action to protect year themselves and their children. We will: • To increase the numbers of seizures and arrests and increase the number of offenders brought to justice • To establish a clear local baseline and develop a detailed • To work with schools, youth and community groups to domestic violence strategy based on targeting prolific reduce the number of young people embracing gang culture offenders and supporting victims • To reduce fear of crime in the communities affected • To improve reporting by widely publicising the domestic • To change the perception of Nottingham being a high gun violence helpline crime area

17 • To provide support to victims of domestic violence through • To develop a Hate Crime subgroup of the Crime and both practical (housing, benefits advice etc) and emotional Disorder Reduction Partnership and establish a local action support (counselling etc) plan with a clear baseline for hate crime • To encourage young people to participate in respectful • To strengthen CDRP engagement with community groups relationships through domestic violence sessions in schools • To ensure victims are supported before, during and after the and youth settings criminal justice process

8. We will establish a robust baseline and increase 9. We will establish a robust baseline and reduce reporting of hate crime business crime

Nottingham is a diverse and cosmopolitan City, and is greatly Crimes against business are the same ones that are committed enriched both socially and economically by the many communities against the wider community, such as anti-social behaviour, theft, that live in our different neighbourhoods. We will not tolerate crimes robbery and vehicle crime. Levels of recorded shop theft and credit based on hatred of people of different races, belief systems or card fraud have fallen from 2001/02 to 2003/2004, whilst levels of sexualities. burglaries other than in a dwelling have remained level during the same period. However consultation with business has shown that the As with domestic violence, hate crime is under-reported (Home sector is increasingly concerned about crime and this may be Office, 2003). Our audit demonstrated that crime based on race and impacting on inward investment. Small businesses are particularly sexuality is a problem in Nottingham, but that our information and threatened by business crime and hence need additional protection, awareness of the issues needs to improve. For this reason we are and recently publicised robberies have dented confidence. keen to work with black and minority organisations and gay, lesbian and transgender groups to identify the actual extent of the problem Nottingham as a City requires a thriving business sector, especially and to take determined action. Asylum seekers should also feel safe, in local neighbourhoods. The City Centre, Bulwell, Sherwood and our and we will work with refugee groups to reduce harassment and other local shopping centres, plus our industrial areas and business improve their confidence in reporting crime. Our priorities are: parks have been subject to crime and anti-social behaviour. For small business this can often result in increased insurance premiums

18 and reduced margins. The City Council is expanding its City Centre City has many thousand people flowing into it at weekends, and management function to appoint regional centre managers, and though the number of violent incidents is small in comparison, we are these will help small business work with crime reduction agencies to keen to better address the issue and to reduce the number of improve security. We will prioritise business crime, especially that incidents by targeting hotspots and addressing binge drinking. Our impacting on small businesses in our regional centres, over the next priorities are: three years. Our priorities are to: • To establish a baseline for alcohol related crime and develop • To support any areas designated by Government as an a local alcohol strategy containing both an alcohol misuse ‘Action Against Business Crime’ (AABC) priority area enforcement programme and prevention strategy through establishing a Business Crime Partnership • To monitor the success of the new licensing regulations and • Work with business to improve safety and reduce consult over the implementation of a ‘saturation zone’ in the opportunities for crime City Centre limiting new on-licenses • Establish a baseline and action plan for business crime in • To develop a ‘Responsible Licensee’ scheme Nottingham • To target under-age drinking and provide information abut • Improve links between the CDRP and DAAT and safer drinking, including the risks of alcohol related assault representatives of local business Table 2 below outlines our current baseline position for targets 1 to 5 10. We will establish a robust baseline and reduce and where we are intending to get to by 2007/8. alcohol related violence

Nottingham is the entertainment capital of the East Midlands, with a diverse range of night-time venues from theatres and cinema through to pubs and clubs. As the number of venues has grown, so has our reputation for alcohol related disorder. Alcohol consumption is implicated in a range of crime and disorder incidents, including violent behaviour, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. The

19

Table 2: BCS Comparator Crimes: Targets

(note: As part of discussions between the CDRP/DAAT and GOEM in 2005/06 these targets will be reviewed with the intention of agreeing a revised set of targets against all BCS crimes, including criminal damage and bicycle theft, which are currently excluded. The overall target against all BCS crimes will remain 26%)

Crime Category 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 %- 2006/07 %- 2007/08 %- Total % Baseline Reduction Figure in crimes (Total Crimes) Vehicle Crime 12303 9848 8548 13.2 7821 8.5 7196 8 41.5 (inc. theft of and theft from, and attempted theft of/from) Vehicle 1334 2190 2190 0 2190 0 2190 0 0 Interference Burglary 7365 6300 5456 13.4 4992 8.5 4593 8 37.6

Common Ass ault 1360 1609 1357 0.2 Wounding 5341 5369 5058 5.3 Robbery 1788 1363 1288 5.5 1262 2 1250 1 30.1

Theft from 2396 1877 1821 3 1766 3 1713 3 28.5 Person Total 26%

20

7. REDUCING THE HARM CAUSED BY • City Council/DAAT Neighbourhood Drugs Team and Policing DRUGS AND ALCOHOL schemes like ‘Rat on a Rat’ are increasing opportunities for

local people to report and challenge street dealing 7.1 DRUGS • The supply of drugs to beggars and rough sleepers has been targeted by two City Council funded Police officers HEADLINE TARGET 3: We will increase sanctioned detections for supply of Class A drugs by 10% each year between 2005 and 2008 HEADLINE TARGET 4: We will increase numbers of people entering drug treatment by an average of at least The Nottingham City Drug and Alcohol Action Team and One City 10% year on year between 2005 and 2008 Partnership Nottingham have prioritised tackling drug related crime, and will work to identify and address supply of class A drugs whilst The DAAT has developed a comprehensive Treatment Plan to also targeting prolific drug related offenders through a combination of strengthen and expand drug treatment services. Both NHS and treatment, enforcement and community empowerment. The supply of voluntary sector services are required to ensure they are delivering class A drugs has a corrosive effect on local communities, especially services to people in all areas of the City and from all backgrounds. those ringing the City Centre, with the drugs trade fuelling high levels One of the key priorities for this plan is to develop greater knowledge of acquisitive property crime and anti-social behaviour such as about the prevalence of problem drug use, and the Primary Care begging and prostitution. We have a number of key projects working Trust have been commissioned to ascertain the number of problem in this area: users in the City. If this figure is significantly higher than the previous of estimate of 3-3,500 then we will look to increase our headline • Operation Stealth continues to target dealers of class A treatment target and consider additional targets based on drugs and the Police drug testing on charge scheme penetration, i.e. percentage of the total number of problem drug identifies heroin and crack/cocaine using arrestees users engaged in treatment. The priorities for the treatment plan are:

21 • To increase numbers of people entering drug treatment Table 3: Drug Treatment Targets year-on-year • To improve retention and completion rates 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 • To provide client centred integrated care pathways that Numbers in 1656 1792 1971 2168 make the treatment system easy to navigate, including treatment Ret ention 60 66 68 70 reducing waiting times rates (% • To improve the health of users through the on-going retained at 12 weeks) development and support of harm reduction initiatives such Completion 20 25 30 35 as needle exchange rates (Specialist/GP • To improve support and treatment provided to crack users prescribing) • To ensure effective delivery of continuing care services such Number of 824 1056 1122 1188 DIP as housing support and employment assessments • To provide greater access to GP prescribing through shared Percentage of N/A 40% 50% 60% DIP clients care and other primary care based interventions engaged in treatment • To work with HMP Nottingham to ensure continuity of care Waiting times 3 weeks 2 weeks 1 week 1 week for Nottingham residents released back into the community for treatment (average • To improve treatment access, retention and completion rates across all in under-represented groups such as women with children modalities) and black and ethnic minority groups

• To develop the commissioning and performance We will also develop five key supplementary action plans with the management function whilst also ensuring there is strong following priorities: user and carer involvement

• Our treatment targets are as outlined in Table 3 below: Education: To ensure coverage of drugs education programmes in 100% of schools by 2009 as measured by the Healthy Schools Programme

22 • Young People: To ensure 100% of looked after children, 7.2 ALCOHOL children of substance misusing parents, children excluded from schools and young offenders receive targeted HEADLINE TARGET 5: To develop a Citywide alcohol prevention by 2008 strategy by March 2006 and reduce the incidence of • Communities: To reduce the impact of drug dealing and drug alcohol related violence in the top 10 worst premises by misuse in local neighbourhoods as measured by the 5% year-on-year between 2005 and 2008 Nottingham City Council ASB survey by 5% year on year,

and to increase the number of prostitutes and homeless Nottingham has been in the public eye as a result of our reputation people engaging with treatment services by 10% a year as a national centre for pubs and clubs. We acknowledge the real between 2005 and 2008 benefits the entertainment industry has for the City. It brings jobs, • Harm reduction: To increase provision of harm reduction tourism and has helped regenerate areas like the Lace Market. services for both problematic and recreational users, and to However, the geography of our City Centre makes it ideal for the reduce the number of heroin users injecting from 64% to type of ‘circuit drinking’ that often spills out into alcohol related anti- 49% by 2008 as measured by Nottingham City PCT social behaviour, and over the last two years the increasing national • Training and workforce development: We will develop focus on Britain’s drinking culture has centred on cities like programmes to ensure that non-specialist services have Nottingham. access to appropriate levels of training around drugs and

alcohol whilst also developing targeted programmes to This has resulted in changes to legislation and a number of national encourage people to work in expanded drug and alcohol initiatives designed to reduce binge drinking and alcohol related services disorder. We are implementing both the new Licensing legislation

and the National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, and we welcome

the debate started in Drinking Responsibly , the Government’s draft

proposals to reduce the impact of binge drinking. We implemented a

local Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign in 2004 and this

23 contributed to a reduction in alcohol related violence in the top 10 Our priorities for alcohol are: worst premises in the City. • To reduce alcohol related violence as outlined in Section 6 As revealed in our Audit, data from a range of sources including • To create a more welcoming City Centre for all age groups, Accident and Emergency, Notts Police, the local voluntary sector and especially around the Market Square, through a combination HMP Nottingham revealed the impact of binge and heavy drinking on of environmental improvements, stronger enforcement and health and violent crime rates. As a result, we have resolved to expanded CCTV coverage address alcohol issues more strategically, and this is the first time • To consult over the implementation of a ‘saturation zone’ for our local strategy has included alcohol related targets. licensed premises in the City Centre • To use the full temporary and permanent closure powers The City Council and Police have come together to develop new granted in legislation to crack down on irresponsible Night Time Economy and Licensing Strategies. These are intended licensees and to promote good practice through developing to fashion a more welcoming and attractive City Centre that a ‘Responsible Licensee’ scheme encourages good practice and introduces high standards of • To review our local alcohol treatment services and, where maintenance for the public realm. At the same time, the DAAT has necessary, redesign them to ensure they are using evidence committed to improving the management of alcohol treatment based approaches services and delivering better education and prevention, and the • To provide a network of interventions for all drinkers from CDRP and DAAT are prioritising tackling the range of problems binge drinkers requiring brief intervention in a Primary Care caused by binge and heavy drinking. All local partners are coming setting through to controlled drinking and abstinence based together to develop a City Alcohol Strategy. This will focus on models, including access to self help and residential enforcing new legislation to reduce binge drinking whilst rehabilitation strengthening education, prevention and treatment programmes. • To crack down on the sale of alcohol to children through test purchase and other operations

• To ensure pubs and clubs are implementing the Home Office

Safer Clubbing harm reduction guidance

24 8. REDUCING THE IMPACT OF ANTI- number of problems. Reports recently suggest that over two-thirds of SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR young people are worried about anti-social behaviour, more than any other age group (StreetScene, 2004), whilst over two thirds of HEADLINE TARGET 6: We will reduce fear of crime and residents reported being affected by it in our ASB survey. ASB increase satisfaction in local neighbourhoods by 15% includes: between 2005 and 2008 as measured by Nottingham City • Council ASB surveys, with a further 10% stretch in Vandalism and criminal damage to property • Neighbourhood Policing areas Graffiti and ‘tagging’ • Young people hanging around on the streets

• Drunk and rowdy behaviour The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 outlined the importance of • addressing anti-social behaviour and recognised the long-term Street drug dealing, open drug use and crack houses • damage such behaviour had on communities. Over the last three Harassment and intimidation • years we have sought to improve the way we tackle anti-social Noisy neighbours behaviour both in local neighbourhoods and the City Centre. The • Rubbish and litter City Council and its partners in regeneration have integrated ASB • Abandoned and burned out cars concerns into the planning and design of new developments and • Nuisance motorbikes and boy racers regeneration of existing areas such as parks and estates, and the Respect for Nottingham campaign prioritised improving the overall We have secured funding for four new locality based ASB Mobile cleanliness of the environment to discourage ASB. Task Forces, plus a fifth team with a citywide brief to target prostitutes, pimps and kerb crawlers. The task forces have a remit to We are committed locally to working with services to help them do tackle community concerns using problem-solving techniques and more to protect victims of anti-social behaviour. We are keen to shift include police, council and drugs staff. The project co-ordinators will the balance from the minority that spread fear and distress to the work closely with the Community Safety Working Groups working in majority that want to live in safer and more stable communities. Anti- each Area Committee area, and community concerns will be fed social behaviour affects a wide range of people and includes a through the Working Groups into the Task Forces.

25 We also have other services tackling ASB including a wide CCTV • Tackling problem individuals, families and locations by joint network, neighbourhood wardens, Police Community Support police, council and partner tasking panels and through Officers (PCSOs) and housing related ASB staff. Local regeneration initiatives such as the Mobile Task Forces, Neighbourhood partnerships, youth workers and the voluntary sector are also Policing pilots and diversionary activity engaged in addressing anti-social behaviour. The Fire Service are • Improving the use of enforcement activity such as Anti- faced with dealing with street based problems such as rubbish Social Behaviour Orders, Crack House Closure Orders, caused by fly tipping, abandoned vehicles and young people hanging tenancy related measures and other legal powers around – all of which have the potential to increase arson. • Addressing nuisance caused by groups of young people Additionally, Respect for Nottingham was introduced to challenge through effective targeting by youth services and use of anti-social behaviour, focusing on begging, prostitution, street drug dispersal orders where necessary dealing, and cleanliness of the local environment. • Addressing the nuisance caused by street/boy racers and quad bikes through enforcement of road traffic regulations Our approach is modelled on the Home Office TOGETHER and seizure of vehicles where necessary programme launched to help communities following the introduction • Tackling drug related ASB through use of Community Drugs of the Government Action Plan Together: Tackling Anti-Social Officers and better strategic management of youth and adult Behaviour (2003). It is based on both prevention and enforcement, treatment services and we are developing an ASB strategy that will sit as an integral • Continuing to address begging, street drinking and part of our overall strategy. Part of this strategy will outline how we prostitution as outlined in the Respect for Nottingham plan intend to make the most of existing resources and better utilise • Improving opportunities to report ASB through developing an Neighbourhood Wardens, ASB staff, Police Community Support Anti-Social Behaviour Hotline Officers, local Fire crews and Neighbourhood Policing pilots. Our • To address anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance by priorities are: students as part of the overall Integrated Student Strategy

• To review the Neighbourhood Warden Service to ensure it is • Reducing criminal damage and damage to property (houses, best placed to address community safety issues such as bus shelters, schools etc) across the city and particularly in begging and enviro-crime and can contribute to reducing hotspot areas fear of crime

26 9. CROSS CUTTING THEMES 9.1 RESPECT FOR NOTTINGHAM

As can be seen from Sections 7-9 there are a number of recurrent The Respect for Nottingham initiative was started in November 2003 themes in this strategy. It is often difficult to clearly separate the to more systematically address a series of problems that were actions we are taking to reduce crime, drugs and anti-social impacting on the reputation of the City and blighting the lives of local behaviour as a result of the links between the three areas and the people, but that were not being covered via existing CDRP or DAAT complexity of both the problems and solutions. In addition to the links groups. A Board was created within the CDRP structure to allow between drugs, crime and ASB there are also three further cross existing CDRP groups to continue to focus on volume crime such as cutting themes that require separate attention. These are: burglary and vehicle crime but to ensure some very visible problems were tackled more systematically. These were: • Improving Respect for Nottingham : Due to the City having high crime rates and the perception of high rates of gun • Begging crime and ASB our reputation has taken a battering over the • Street prostitution last two years. We are determined to redress this locally, • Street drug dealing regionally and nationally through our Respect strategy. • Enviro-crime and the condition of the streets • Better supporting young people and reducing recidivism: We • Anti-social behaviour acknowledge that we have high rates of adult offending, and are determined to work creatively to prevent the next By April 2005, Respect had been responsible for: generation of children and the current generation of young people becoming deeply involved in crime, drugs and anti- • Bringing an additional 40 Neighbourhood Wardens to the city social behaviour • The establishment of a dedicated multi-agency team to • Strengthening support for Witnesses and Victims: There is a tackle kerb-crawling which has made over 130 arrests for reticence in many communities to trust the authorities and kerb-crawling report crime, and we are determined to address this and to better support both witnesses to, and victims of, crime

27 • Doubling the capacity of the Prostitutes Outreach Workers • 18% reduction in the number of residents reporting graffiti to service to assist and support prostitutes exit street be a problem in the city (ASB survey) prostitution • The establishment of a centralised Anti-Social Behaviour Respect for Nottingham, through the CDRP, will continue to take an Unit to co-ordinate multi-agency responses to anti-social uncompromising stand against anti-social behaviour on the streets of behaviour Nottingham and restore civic pride in the city. The Strategy will send • A 32% increase in convictions for Class A drug supply out the strong message that disorderly behaviour will not be tolerated • A highly effective enforcement and support to change in Nottingham. campaign against begging • The issuing of over 300 Fixed Penalty Notices for litter and Aims for Respect for Nottingham 2005-08: waste offences • The removal of over 4000 square metres of graffiti • To build on success to ensure that progress achieved so far is sustainable, and to achieve substantial and obvious Actual outcomes by April 2005 include: further reductions in street prostitution, enviro-crime,

• 85% reduction in begging, as measured by the Survey Unit, begging, street drug dealing and associated anti-social University of Nottingham behaviour by 2008. • 80% reduction in street prostitution, as measured by covert • To achieve substantial and obvious reductions in alcohol patrols of the Vice Area. related crime and disorder, youth disorder, housing and drug • 6% reduction in the number of residents reporting street drug related anti-social behaviour dealing to be a problem (ASB survey, City Council) The new priorities for Respect for Nottingham are outlined in the • 40% reduction in the number of residents affected by anti- 2005-08 Respect strategy, and this will act as the delivery plans for social behaviour in their local neighbourhood (ASB survey) the outlined areas. • 14% reduction in the number of residents reporting litter to

be a problem in the city (ASB survey)

28 9.2 BETTER SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE AND A key document outlining the detail of how we will reduce recidivism REDUCING RECIDIVISM amongst young offenders will be the three year Youth Justice Plan

that the Youth Offending Team has to develop by June 2005. The HEADLINE TARGET 7: We will reduce the re-offending targets contained in the plan will be aligned with the targets in this rate amongst young offenders by 5% year-on-year strategy, and the YOT is the major delivery arm for our priority to between 2005 and 2008 reduce criminal activity and recidivism amongst young people. Through the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme, use Though young people commit a disproportionate amount of crime, of ‘final warnings’ and restorative justice, the YOT will be working to they are also the victims of an equally disproportionate amount of prevent and deter young people from involvement in crime. crime. The impact of poverty and social exclusion impacts hardest on children and young people and improving outcomes for them is a As outlined in section 2, we believe that reducing the impact of citywide priority. All the agencies in Nottingham are committed to this crime, drug misuse and anti-social behaviour will considerably shared goal, and we are reviewing our structures to meet the improve outcomes for children and young people. As a result, there national requirements of Every Child Matters . We are committed to is a focus on youth in many of the areas outlined in the Crime, Drugs continuing to improve educational attainment and health and social and ASB sections of this document. Likewise, most of our Task care services for children, especially for black and minority ethnic Group Action Plans will contain youth focused measures. Some of children and looked after children. these include:

The City Council has provided additional funding for the youth • Reducing the use of class A drugs amongst young people service and there are plans for Children’s Centres across the City. under 25, especially by the most vulnerable The Supporting Communities Strategy is designed to provide • Maximising the use of curfews, fixed penalty notices and educational and diversionary activity to prevent young people ASBO’s in hotspots for youth crime and disorder becoming involved in gang related activity, whilst the DAAT is • Identifying prolific young offenders and using a ‘prevent and funding a number of young people’s drug services. deter’ strategy to divert them from further crime • Enabling early identification of drug using young offenders by testing 14-17 year olds for heroin and crack/cocaine

29 • Improving links between Police and schools through the 9.3 STRENGTHENING SUPPORT FOR WITNESSES Safer Schools Partnership AND REDUCING RE-VICTIMISATION • Supporting the parents and carers of problem drug misusers HEADLINE TARGET 8: We will set a baseline and reduce and supporting children of problem drug using parents the repeat victimisation level by 5% year-on-year between • Developing locality based young people’s drug services 2005 and 2008 • Addressing the high victimisation of students in domestic burglary figures We are keen to bring more offences to justice and as a result • Working in partnership with the Integrated Student Strategy witnesses and victims require better support. The British Crime to address anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance by Survey and local Victim Support service have both outlined how only students and young people a small number of victims report crime, and it is clear that fear of

reprisals can be a key factor. Research reveals people sometimes

provide information but often are unwilling to give statements and

that 20% of crimes are not reported because of fear of intimidation

with a further 10% of reported crimes resulting in witness intimidation

(Nottingham Trent University, 2004).

We will work with colleagues in the victim and witness services to

minimise barriers to reporting crime and breakdown historical issues

such as mistrust of the Police in some communities. In particular, we

will note and act on the recommendations in the NTU study Barriers

to Black and Minority Ethnic Communities Accessing Victim and

Witness Services (NTU, 2004)

We will ensure that people who are the victims of crime and people who witness crime are given strong support before, during and after formal legal proceedings. This involves building closer links between

30 the CDRP and the Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) and the • To work with partners to remove barriers identified by wider criminal justice system as well as working closely with research organisations such as Victim Support and Women’s Aid. • To ensure services are able to support people in their own

The pressure put on witnesses by accused people or their homes where necessary to minimise social dislocation for acquaintances is one of the most difficult issues for agencies to deal witnesses and victims, for example through floating support with, and we are keen to ensure both Police and Council anti-social for victims of domestic violence behaviour staff receive adequate training so they are able to provide a high standard of care and support to people.

We are also striving to reduce repeat victimisation by ensuring we are able, for example, to better and more fully advise victims around personal security issues. We will continue to strengthen the homes of burglary victims and victims of domestic violence harassed by former partners. We will also work with the LCJB to reduce the number of trials that collapse due to witness harassment. Our priorities are:

• To develop a Witness Protection and Re-assurance strategy • To address low levels of confidence amongst local victims by strengthening statutory and voluntary sector support services and bolstering their capacity where necessary • To ensure all communities are able to use the victim and witness services and to widely publicise services, and to develop services where current ones are deficient

31 10. DELIVERING THE STRATEGY 10.1 Tackling the long-term causes of crime

We will ensure that partnership activity and funded projects promote To support these targets there are eight key principles upon which social inclusion so that more people can make a positive contribution we have built this strategy. Over the next three years all those to their communities. We will work through the One City Partnership involved in the CDRP and DAAT partnerships will take action to Nottingham to ensure links between the community safety agenda increase the confidence of communities to report issues and to give and those focused on improving health, employability, educational confidence that effective action will be taken when they do. We will attainment and reducing poverty are strong and mutually supportive. also work together to identify the actions that each local organisation (statutory, voluntary, community and business) can take to reduce We will develop our focus on the preventative agenda to target the impact of crime, problem drug use and anti-social behaviour. groups known to be at risk of later offending such as children excluded from schools and also target campaigns to protect groups We will do this by ensuring the eight key principles inform all our known to be vulnerable to crime such as students and homeless activity. These principles provide the means for us to bring together a people. We will also ensure education and training around crime and strong and diverse team of people and agencies that can act drugs issues are key parts of our task group action plans. together to deliver sustainable reductions in crime, problem drug use and anti-social behaviour. They also send a combined message to Additionally, we will work closely with colleagues involved in perpetrators of crime and anti-social behaviour that we will offer regeneration partnerships such as New Deal for Communities in support for them to stop. However, this is very much a conditional Radford and Hyson Green to ensure tackling crime, drugs and anti- message. If they choose not to stop, we will use all the legal powers social behaviour are integral parts of their local strategies. available to us to stop them adversely affecting individuals, We will also ensure we fully understand the nature of crime in the neighbourhoods and the City in general. city by looking at the long-term trends, which have been historically

high, and will clarify the nature of the impact the city boundaries have

on crime levels and will improve links with CDRP’s in the Nottingham

conurbation.

32 10.2 Improving our Neighbourhood Focus and access to Police, Council and drugs staff will concentrate resources developing a Locality Based ‘Problem Solving where the problems are greatest, and will be responsive to local Approach’ communities. We will ensure that communities are better able to connect with the services in their community and ensure all services we fund are A key means of improving our neighbourhood focus is to fully responsive and accountable to community needs and not isolated in understand the problems in each area. Our Community Safety the City Centre. Working Groups and Area Committees will work closely with local people to develop awareness of the nature of local problems. They We will be piloting Neighbourhood Policing in St Ann’s and Broxtowe will bring together interested parties and engineer evidence based in 2005/06 and will fully evaluate this new approach. Neighbourhood solutions that involve the widest number of people and community Policing Teams will have dedicated resources, be intelligence led groups. We will consider different options and adopt the solution and problem solve at a local level. They will engage with local most likely to have a long- term impact on the problem at hand. This communities and mechanisms will be put in place to target resources will involve use of the ‘problem analysis triangle’ that looks at the role at local problems and hold Police and partners to account for activity. played by victim, offender and location. The teams will be accountable to local community safety working groups. Where necessary we will target resources on areas with the highest crime levels with a view to closing the gap between crime levels in We will also ensure that drug services operate in local different parts of the City. We will also work at the local level to build neighbourhoods to increase access to women with children and capacity in particular areas of multiple deprivation requiring other people finding it hard to get to City Centre services. We will additional support to resolve complex problems, such as the vice ensure that substitute prescribing and needle exchange are also area. available in all areas through primary care based services or outreach.

We will also ensure a stronger local response to anti-social behaviour through our ASB Task Forces. These services, with

33 10.3 Strengthening Engagement with Nottingham’s 10.4 Targeting Prolific and Other Priority Offenders Diverse Communities and Improving User Involvement Our anti-social behaviour task forces will target local problems and ensure Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and Anti-Social Behaviour Crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour impact on all neighbourhoods Orders are used when necessary. Our CDRP task forces will target and at all levels. From anti-social behaviour impacting upon the prolific beggars and prostitutes via the Respect for Nottingham reputation of certain streets, through to drug dealing hampering programme, and this will include both enforcement and treatment. attempts to regenerate estates, we are committed to addressing these problems, and to increasing people’s confidence that when We will also ensure we target the right people at all levels and they report something, action will be taken. improve co-ordination within the criminal justice system through joint working with the Local Criminal Justice Board and other partners. Over the life of this strategy we want all neighbourhoods and Those people involved in prolific criminal activity will also be tightly communities to feel safer. We will work with tenants groups, local monitored and individually targeted through the Priority and Prolific partnerships, community groups and voluntary sector organisations Offender Strategy, which will be driven forward by the CDRP. Drug to develop community intelligence and increase engagement with related criminals and other prolific offenders will be targeted through statutory agencies. We will also work closely with black and minority a combination of the DAAT Drug Intervention Programme and the ethnic groups, women’s organisations and gay, lesbian and Police and Probation Sherwood Project. Our approach will be transgender groups to deliver a closer partnership and better modelled on the national PPO strategy, which has three strands: address the concerns of Nottingham’s diverse communities.

• Prevent and deter: Identifying and addressing young We will also improve user involvement in drug and alcohol services. offenders at high risk of future prolific offending This will ensure drug users are able to contribute to their treatment • Catch and convict: Designed to identify and deal with programmes and enable us to commission services that are offenders causing the most harm appropriate to the needs of the wide range of drug users in the City. • Rehabilitate and resettle: Providing structured interventions through probation and YOT to prevent further re-offending

34 10.5 Every Child Matters: Targeting and Diverting ‘At 10.6 Adopting Crime Reduction as a Mainstream Activity Risk’ Young People Section 17 of the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act creates a general We will ensure our partnerships are addressing the needs of children duty on public bodies to take account of community safety in all and young people across the City by working closely with schools, aspects of their work, from development planning to delivery of major health and social services, the youth service and youth offending initiatives. All policies, plans, activities and budgets need to be team, plus the many voluntary organisations working with young considered from the standpoint of their potential contribution to the people that are integral to the success of long-term community safety reduction of crime and disorder. goals. Where necessary we will align the planning and delivery structures of the CDRP, DAAT and Children’s Strategic Partnership. During the life of this strategy we will fully mainstream Section 17. This means ensuring all partners are considering crime and disorder A large percentage of current problem drug users and people as integral to their activity. It must be part of our work culture to look involved in criminal activity have been institutionalised from an early at community safety implications in the same way we consider Equal age or subject to some kind of physical or emotional abuse. Opportunities or Best Value. Preventing the next generation of offenders relies upon agencies targeting and diverting into more positive activity at risk groups such 10.7 Strengthening our Partnerships and Performance the young homeless and looked after children. Management Systems

Crime in Nottingham City is significantly above the national average. We are aware that work with young people may not always deliver The aim of this strategy is to reduce and close the gap between the immediate results and will continue to support longer term city and our ‘family’ of comparable cities. To do this, our partnership interventions such as projects like the Children’s Society STARS must be strong and focused on achievement. We have already project that helps the children of drug and alcohol users with reviewed the board level and delivery structures of the CDRP and educational and emotional support. Likewise, we will support DAAT and are in the process of expanding the capacity of the staff innovative partnerships like the one between the City and the Fire teams. This will enable us to improve our focus on performance and Service to deliver the Risk Watch injury prevention curriculum, with develop the kind of partnerships that are flexible, community focused its focus on weapons and fire prevention, to all Key Stage 2 pupils in Nottingham’s schools.

35 and able to respond both to emerging issues and constructive even when the risk of victimisation is low. We have begun to address criticism. this by increasing the presence of wardens and police community support officers in neighbourhoods. We will continue to seek funding A key part of this is improving Information sharing and exchange. We to expand these schemes and give people the means to have already used the Data Protection Act and Human Rights Act to communicate their concerns, for example by funding an anti-social strengthen our information sharing, for example about begging and behaviour hotline and by publicising the ‘Rat on a Rat’ drug dealing prolific offenders, and will continue to develop appropriate protocols and CrimeStoppers confidential hotlines in all public venues. We will that improve our offender management systems. also provide feedback to local residents about effective local initiatives and counter balance the impact of the media, which can 10.8 Improving Communication with the Public and often lead to increased fear of crime even when crime levels are Media to Reduce Fear of Crime falling. We will provide better information to residents, community groups and local businesses with a view to better publicising our actions and 10.9 Who’s Involved? successes and at the same time providing information to reduce the chances of victimisation. The effective Respect for Nottingham The following agencies are working in partnership in the Crime and Communication Strategy, with almost 70% of local people aware of Disorder Reduction Partnership and Drug and Alcohol Action Team the initiative, demonstrates how it is possible to get information into to deliver the outcomes outlined in this strategy: the community. The CDRP and DAAT will also develop a marketing and communication strategy that seeks to increase public awareness • One City Partnership Nottingham about the action being taken and encourage people to take action • Nottinghamshire Police locally. This will also send a clear message to criminals and • Nottingham City Council perpetrators of anti-social behaviour that we will not tolerate their • Nottingham City Primary Care Trust activities. • HM Prison Nottingham • The Probation Service We also recognise the importance of addressing community • The Youth Offending Team perceptions about crime. There is often considerable fear of crime • Representatives of the voluntary sector

36 The following are involved in the CDRP only: 10.10 Community Safety Working Groups

• The Nottingham Community Network We are determined to improve accountability to the local community • Local area partnerships through strengthening our Community Safety Working Groups, the • The Crown Prosecution Service local structures responsible for engaging with the community about • The Notts Fire and Rescue Service crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour. Community Safety Working • The British Transport Police Groups (CSWGs) were established to coordinate, develop, prioritise and task community safety activity in their local area. Objectives The following are involved in the DAAT only: include:

• Drug and alcohol service users • To adopt a planned joint agency and community approach to • The Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust crime and disorder reduction • Voluntary sector providers of drug and alcohol services • To gather and share information and intelligence at a local level making use of available resources We are committed to bringing together the delivery structures of the • To identify problems, predict future trends and develop local CDRP and DAAT over the life of this strategy, and ensuring we are evidence based solutions able to performance manage this strategy. Over the next three • To prioritise and allocate appropriate local resources months we will further review our structures to enable them to best • To coordinate local projects and initiatives meet the priorities outlined and ensure they are working to our key • To help and reassure those who live in fear of crime by principles and headline targets. ensuring effective community engagement

37 10.11 Our Resources: Developing an Evidence Based 10.12 Glossary Approach

A glossary for the general public will be added to the printed version. This strategy has set clear and ambitious targets. To manage the This will explain the numerous acronyms prevalent in the community resources attached to this strategy we will: safety arena.

• Review the strategy on an annual basis and make any necessary changes based on changing crime levels or public 10.13 Action Plans priorities • Develop an effective mechanism for commissioning activity, These have to be completed by end June. To develop the plans we including the development of new services and evaluation of will host a series of representative focus groups involving all our existing ones partners. These groups will consider key performance indicators and • Re-align mainstream resources to deliver the targets and milestones for each of our priority areas. We will also develop a risk detailed action plans and ensure any new investment leads management analysis to ensure the strategy is kept on track over the to improvement in mainstream services coming months.

• Work in partnership to effectively manage and evaluate the

Stronger and Safer Communities Fund (SSCF) and develop the Local Area Agreement from 2006/07 • Consider the pooling of community safety resources currently outside the SSCF

38