Implementing national policing agendas and strategies for fraud at local level
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-04-2017-0027 |
| Date | 01 October 2018 |
| Pages | 984-996 |
| Published date | 01 October 2018 |
| Author | Alan Doig |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & Finance,Financial risk/company failure,Financial crime |
Implementing national policing
agendas and strategies for fraud
at local level
Alan Doig
Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of thisstudy is to assess, since the 2006 Fraud Review, recommendations, strategies
and consequential organisational and otherchanges at national, regional and local levels relating to fraud,
using the Northeast as a case study. It also notes that implementation may have been influenced by
institutionalchanges and related emerging governmental policyagendas and institutional changes relating to
organisedcrime, terrorism and cybercrime.
Design/methodology/approach –The research for the paper was undertaken by desk reviews of
primary and secondary material. The paper also involved face-to-face interviews with personnel from the
regional fraud unit and the three North-east police forces’fraud units. The interviews were semi-structured
and were conducted on grounds of anonymity for the personnel and the forces involved, with a focus on
trends and issues. The personnelwere invited to comment on a draft of the paper in terms of accuracy of the
information they provided;no revisions or additions were proposed. Interpretation of that informationis the
sole responsibilityof the author.
Findings –The paper finds that, despite the decade since the Fraud Review, issues of effectiveness or
relevance of nationalfraud strategies, absence of incentives and identifiablebenefits and continuous influence
of competing agendas onpolice priorities continue to marginalise fraud as a mainstreampolice function and
limit the levelof resource committed to what also continues to be a risingarea of criminality.
Research limitations/implications –The research looks at the recommendations, strategies and
consequentialorganisational and other changes at national, regional and locallevels through implementation
by four policing units in the North-east. It also notes that implementation may have been influenced by
institutionalchanges and related emerging governmental policyagendas and institutional changes relating to
organised crime,terrorism and cybercrime. While the research is limited in that, it draws on the experience of
three local and one regional fraud unit; its findings support further research about the implementation of
strategiesand agendas in practice on the ground.
Practical implications –The research validates many of the findings by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of
Constabulary (HMIC)and supports the need to review national strategies to ensureeffective implementation
at local levelfor what also continues to be a rising area of criminality.
Social implications –The research raises importantissues concerning public concern over fraud where
majority of frauds are of high volume, low value with low levels of recovery and usually targeted at
individualsbut where the policing responses are targeted elsewhere.
Originality/value –The research is the first study on the local implementation of national strategies on fraud
and raises positive and less positive aspects of how far national strategies and intentions are addressed on the ground.
Keywords Fraud, Police, Fraud strategies
Paper type Research paper
Introduction: the context of the 2006 Fraud Review
Fraud: context and concerns
Much of the present national policy, institutional and procedural issues affecting the
policing of fraud at local and regional levels derives from the 2006 Fraud Review. The
JFC
25,4
984
Journalof Financial Crime
Vol.25 No. 4, 2018
pp. 984-996
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1359-0790
DOI 10.1108/JFC-04-2017-0027
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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