Community Safety
| Author | Andrea Haith |
| Published date | 01 September 2000 |
| Date | 01 September 2000 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/026455050004700309 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
211
people
themselves,
which
are
used
liberally
and
very
effectively
to
illustrate
the
points
made.
Throughout
the
report,
links
are
made
via
footnotes
to
very
recent,
relevant
research
findings
which
usually
bear
out
what
the
young
people
were
saying.
This
is
useful
and
informative.
The
often
stark
contrast
between
the
measured,
balanced
and
sometimes
bland
narrative
and
the
words
of
the
young
people
themselves,
ensures
that
the
overall
message
is
delivered
very
powerfully.
Anyone
who
has
worked
with
young
people
in
a
custodial
setting
will
recognise
the
disarming
and
refreshing
directness
with
which
they
tell
their
often
harrowing
stories
and
try
to
make
sense
of
their
experiences.
One
can
only
hope
that
’they’
will
do
more
than
just
listen
to
what
these
young
people
have
to
say.
’Tell
Them
So
They
Listen’:
Messages
from
Young
People
in
Custody,
by
Juliet
Lyon,
Catherine
Dennison
and
Anita
Wilson,
Trust
for
the
Study
of
Adolescence,
Home
Office
Research
Study
201,
2000.
Gwyneth
Hughes
Practice
Development
Assessor,
West
Glamorgan
Community
Safety
This
report
is
a
short,
qualitative
evaluation
of
crime
prevention
and
community
safety
projects
in
Newcastle
and
Leeds.
Both
initiatives
aimed
to
bring
about
the
kind
of
social,
environmental
and
cultural
conditions
which
are
correlated
with
sustained
improvements
in
safety
in
communities.
In
particular,
they
sought
to
involve
local
people
in
identifying
problems
and
creating
solutions
(capacity
building).
The
research
was
carried
out
over
a
three
year
period.
In
Leeds
it
looked
at
three
projects
designed
to
reduce
racial
harassment,
domestic
burglary,
youth
crime
and
nuisance,
as
well
as
efforts
to
co-ordinate
and
promote
community
safety
in
general.
In
the
North
Benwell
area
of
Newcastle,
the
projects
tended
to
have
a
more
general
focus,
aiming
to
strengthen
the
community
and
build
trust,
both
considered
essential
to
more
specific
crime
prevention
efforts.
Three
features
distinguish
the
projects
from
previous
efforts.
Firstly,
there
was
coordination of
activity
at
neighbourhood
level
by
a
dedicated
community
safety
worker
acting
as
a
’broker’
between
.
different
agencies
and
between
agencies
and
residents.
Secondly,
there
was
a
wider
role
accorded
to
residents,
working
alongside
local
agency
representatives.
Thirdly,
the
projects
made
clear
attempts
(not
always
successful)
to
integrate
their
methods
and
approaches
into
aspects
of
the
mainstream
work
of
agencies
at
neighbourhood
level.
A
range
of
methods
was
used
to
assess
the
initiatives.
Household
surveys
were
undertaken
to
provide
meaningful
indicators
of
change
in
the
quality
of
life,
and
’before
and
after’
surveys
of
a
representative
sample
of
residents
were
also
conducted.
Data
was
collected
from
statutory
agencies,
and
individuals
and
groups
involved
in
the
various
projects
were
regularly
interviewed.
Key
lessons:
Fear,
Perception
and
Crime -
The
number
of
known
victims
of
crime
had
fallen
in
both
areas
during
the
study
period.
However,
in
North
Benwell
recorded
crime
rose,
suggesting
that
more
people
were
willing
to
report
crime
to
the
police
as
a
result
of
the
trust
built
between
the
police
and
the
community.
Although
the
risk
of
victimisation
and
the
extent
to
which
people
perceive
crime
as
a
serious
problem
was
reduced,
this
was
not
reflected
in
a
reduction
of
fear
of
crime.
Community
Involvement -
Efforts
to
engage
and
involve
local
residents
in
community
safety
issues
can
undoubtedly
succeed.
Hard
to
reach
individuals
and
groups
such
as
students,
isolated
and
vulnerable
people.
ethnic
minorities
and
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