Most CDRPs have arrangements to share and exchange information. All CDRPs identify crime hot spots within their area. Few CDRPs draw all available information together into comprehensive profiles of the different neighbourhoods within their area. Where local agencies are making progress, information-gathering methods are often relatively simple and pragmatic. The report describes a framework for effective information use that should assist local agencies to improve the commissioning and direction of their analytical resources. Within this framework, the neighbourhood profile is the core product of the combined analytical effort.
Changes in CDRP responsibilities will require them to undertake regular strategic and tactical assessments of crime and anti-social behaviour. Compiling and reviewing neighbourhood profiles provides a framework for such assessments, if compilation of the profiles is itself subject to effective direction and guidance. The new responsibilities arise firstly, from a new statutory requirement upon police authorities from 1 April 2006 and secondly, from proposals to change the statutory responsibilities upon 'responsible authorities' within CDRPs.
From 1 April 2006 police authorities are required to produce annual local policing summaries. These summaries will inform the public about policing of local areas, or neighbourhoods. The government has committed itself to strengthening community engagement in policing and considers that providing such summaries is central to effective local policing. For local communities to actively influence local policing policy they need an informed view about policing methods and priorities. Providing the public with better information about local policing is important because it enables better accountability and scrutiny of performance.
Although this new requirement applies to police authorities, the government expects provision of the information to be a joint endeavour between police authorities, police forces and other local agencies involved in partnership work, including CDRPs, Youth Offending Teams, Drug/Substance Misuse Action Teams and Local Criminal Justice Boards.
In addition to the new responsibilities upon police authorities, the government intends to implement proposals arising from its review of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. One proposal from the review is to extend the principles of the police National Intelligence Model (NIM) (external link) to other local agencies within CDRPs. Both of these changes increase the need for local agencies to compile a comprehensive understanding of the issues affecting the neighbourhoods within their area.
As demonstrated in the Commission's report, Neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour, solving neighbourhood problems effectively requires action to be 'fit for purpose'. To provide a sound basis for selecting an appropriate course of action, local agencies should use a range of methodologies that respond to local circumstances. The government's aim to ensure that each neighbourhood receives an appropriate level of policing in the broadest sense gives emphasis to the need for CDRPs to organise and share successful methodologies.
An outline toolkit to guide local practice could be created by grouping methodologies according to the geodemographic characteristics of household groups. The content of the table below was devised by UCL and provides an example of how these methodologies could be organised to ensure the best fit with particular neighbourhoods. In order to achieve neighbourhood level community safety, service practice for councils, housing associations, fire and health authorities should be included in the framework at the same time as policing practice.
| Mosaic household group |
Crime profile |
Social capital |
Possible neighbourhood level community safety activity by CDRP/CSP members |
| Crime risk |
Crime fear |
Trust |
Informal contacts |
Formal association |
| A |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
High |
Engage with resident representatives. Leaflet based communications and campaigns. |
| B |
Moderate |
Low |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Child safety campaigns. School based programmes. |
| C |
Low |
Low |
High |
High |
High |
Engage with resident representatives. Establish citizen engagement schemes, for example, neighbourhood watch. Leaflet based communications and campaigns. |
| D |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Higher for existing residents, lower for newcomers |
High |
High |
Engage with resident representatives. Community support officer schemes. Rapid responses to environmental issues such as abandoned vehicles. |
| E |
High |
Moderate |
Low |
Low |
Moderate |
Street based communications. Home security improvements. Police community support officer schemes. |
| F |
Very high |
High |
Low |
Low |
Very low |
Home security improvements Intensive policing supported by councils and housing associations. Police community support officer schemes. |
| G |
Very high |
High |
Low |
Low |
Low |
School and social care based interventions. Intensive policing supported by councils and housing associations. Home security improvements. Rapid responses to environmental issues such as abandoned vehicles. |
| H |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
Regular police patrol. Regular communication with residents. |
| I |
Moderate |
High |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Low |
Communication campaigns that reassure and provide advice. High visibility policing. CCTV surveillance of public spaces. |
| J |
Low |
High |
High for residents, low for newcomers |
High |
High |
Communication campaigns that reassure and provide advice. High visibility policing. Establish citizen engagement schemes, for example, neighbourhood watch. |
| K |
Low |
High |
High for residents, low for newcomers |
High |
High |
Communication campaigns that reassure and provide advice. Engage with resident representatives. |
Source: Ashby, D.I. (2005) Policing Neighbourhoods: Exploring the Geographies of Crime, Policing and Performance Assessment, Policing & Society, 15 (4): 435-469.
By combining the framework shown in the table above with the resource analysis of agency activity and the cost, local agencies can make links between the value and effectiveness of their neighbourhood level activity.
Local agencies should consider how they could demonstrate best use of resources by compiling neighbourhood profiles and then using the new information to reconfigure activity in order to provide better value for money. Such an approach may prove useful in supporting agency self assessments for inspection and audit purposes.