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Consequent upon the closure of the National office structure, the Home Office commissioned a study of Neighbourhood Watch by a research company, Urbecon, and the findings were published in a Police Briefing in September 2004. The relevant article is reproduced below. |
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Home Office Police Briefing |
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The publication carried a preface by Hazel Blears MP
"Underpinning the Government's reform agenda is the civil renewal agenda - the belief in strong, empowered and active communities. Central to this is the development of Neighbourhood Watch and I am delighted that consultation is now well underway into developing and supporting the scheme. It is most encouraging to see the work taking place to improve the culture and perception of Neighbourhood Watch and I think we can all be optimistic about building on its success." |
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Home Office Publication September 2004 Police Briefing
Neighbourhood Watch goes from strength to strength
The Home Office recently commissioned a study to explore the ways in which Neighbourhood Watch could be further supported, developed and strengthened.
Neighbourhood Watch (NW) is one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives ever. It is recognised by the police, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and the public as a major success story in terms of community engagement and crime reduction. The home Office study, carried out by research company Urbecon, found that NW was ‘alive and well, popular and well known’, but there was still plenty of scope for development.
THE STUDY’S KEY FINDINGS · Support from the police and local CDRPs has apparently led to expansion, but not all police services or CDRPs have a clearly stated policy · It contributes to the ‘social capital’ of neighbourhoods in which it is active, but closer engagement with communities with higher crime rates in needed · Some NW activities now include care for the elderly and vulnerable, involvement of young people, action against anti-social behaviour and addressing environmental degradation · Specific training and professional standards are needed · There is no national system for sharing opinions and ideas or providing information about good practice.
THE STUDY’S MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS · A new website and telephone helpline should be introduced to provide advice, good practice information, and a coordinators’ discussion forum · A national network or forum should be created for police and local authority staff to come together and for NW coordinators to meet and share ideas, good practice and training resources · There should be a system of registration for Watches and similar community-led initiatives at Basic Command Unit level · There should be more integration of NW with other community issues, such as antisocial behaviour, environmental matters and care for the elderly · Resources should be focussed on developing NW in high crime areas and areas of deprivation · Good practice should be identified and shared between the police, CDRPs and Neighbourhood Watch schemes · NW should have more appeal to young people and black and minority ethnic groups (BMEs).
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH The plans for the future of NW fit neatly with the content of the Police Reform agenda and the Home Office Strategic Plan. To promote positive social change and tackle insecurity, the enforcement services (police, prisons, immigration and probation) need to be more effective and must promote active citizenship and cohesive communities. A new ‘neighbourhood approach’ is being pursued which combines neighbourhood policing with local community networks, such as NW, to tackle crime and disorder.
The success of NW and similar schemes will be enhanced by clarifying the support roles of the police, local authorities, the Home Office and others.
“The recommendations that arose from the Home Office study are the ones we want to see implemented in order to create communities where people, with the support of their neighbourhood police force, can get actively involved in helping to cut local crime,” says Irene Cole of the Home Office Crime Strategy and Resources Unit. “We are developing an action plan to implement the recommendations and are already taking steps to establish the website and compile a database of good practice. In the first instance a series of small workshops to gather the opinions of stakeholders is being held. NW coordinators, the police and representatives from voluntary and community groups have been getting together to discuss how the recommendations should be put into practice.”
Stakeholders have also been making their opinions known on a temporary consultation website set up by Urbecon. A questionnaire inviting people to comment on the study's recommendations has been completed by about 800 people, some representing local NW groups or associations, most demonstrating full support for the recommended changes. ___________________________ |
