‘Acquisitive crime’ covers aspects of theft and robbery including street crime, business and retail crime and vehicle crime.
More information on the national picture
These types of crime are
known for the harm they cause to victims, especially robbery and burglary
. Government Office for London has been supporting a range of
initiatives to help local areas improve their burglary and robbery
prevention and some examples of these efforts, and innovative local
projects are covered below.
GOL Burglary
Project:
Running from October 2008-
June 2009 GOL offered funding (approximately £11,000) to boroughs
suffering from increases in burglary. As well as diect burglary
prevention work, the money was used to improve each boroughs’
capability to identify the key drivers of burglary in the area and target
their actions accordingly, known as the ‘problem solving’
approach. The Jill Dando Institute was commissioned to evaluate
the project but also to evaluate the evidence for various burglary
prevention methods. In this was the funding lead to sustainable outcomes
for the boroughs concerned but also provided learning for all areas of
London and the country.
The Vigilance
Programme:
Launched by the Home
Office in July 2009, the Vigilance Programme is a national support package
to areas suffering the worst increases and voulumes of burglary and
robbery. 10 areas in London are currently involved in the project and
GOL supported these areas to bid for and receive over £1m
funding. More information can be found at
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/video-transcripts/operation-vigilance?view=Html
WARMTH, INCOME,
SAFETY, HEALTH Referral Scheme
The WISH Scheme in Camden
is an efficient and joined up way of improving health, safety and security
at home for vulnerable householders.
The scheme came about because a number of agencies were independently
marketing and providing services to the same vulnerable households across
Camden. The lack of co-ordination of these services lead to:
-
A lack of awareness
among agencies/households of other services that are available
-
Multiple visits to
vulnerable households, causing unnecessary disruption
Production of unnecessary amounts of promotional literature, cluttering
of workers’ in-trays, household doormats etc
-
Increased time away
from their duties for staff who were receiving separate
training/awareness raising sessions about the benefits to their clients
of individual services
-
Staff anxiety arising
from the feeling of being unable to respond to clients’ other
needs.
-
A steering group has
been set up, consisting of representatives from the Housing Department,
Environmental Health, Community Safety, Promoting Independence, Welfare
Rights and the Primary Care Trust.
WISH aims to provide the
following services: -
-
Warmth - Insulation
and/or heating improvement, Advice on Energy saving tips, How to choose
and change gas suppliers, Keeping homes warm and dry
-
Safety - Free smoke
alarm, Domestic security works, Falls prevention, Child injury
prevention, General safety advice
-
Repair - Help/advice
on major repairs
-
Welfare Rights/Health
& Well-being - Benefits Check, Debt advice, Physical/mental health
difficulties, Personal care, Social isolation
Households will be
referred to WISH by - Mobile Repairs Service, District nurses, Health
visitors, Occupational therapists, Sure Start workers, Faith groups, Public
Health Assistants, CAB, Housebound staff, Podiatrists and Age Concern
staff.
