PAPER E
Committee : FIRE
AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE
Date : 17
SEPTEMBER 2002
Title : CRIMINAL
DAMAGE REVIEW
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF PAID SERVICE
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
To ask the Committee to consider the current policy and procedures for dealing with criminal damage, including graffiti and vandalism.
BACKGROUND
This Committee on the 17th June 2002, requested that the Crime and Disorder Manager review how the Council deals with increasing levels of criminal damage and make recommendations for this Committee to consider.
STATISTICS
Criminal damage accounts for 25% of all reported crime on the Island and is increasing (see attached Appendix A for statistical data) with 2516 reported incidents last financial year.
National, the detection rate for criminal damage is low in comparison with many other crimes. It is under 10%, however the Isle of Wight Division has the highest detection rate for Hampshire Constabulary as they currently detect 17 ½ %. Ryde and Newport have the highest levels of reported criminal damage, but also have the highest detection rates too, of over 20%. This is primarily because CCTV has significantly assisted the Police in identifying the offender(s).
PROCESS
This is a crime that involves a number of different departments such as Property Services, Wight Leisure, Parks, Beaches and Esplanades and individual Schools. Best practice for dealing with criminal damage was introduced by Contract Services Manager within Parks, Beaches and Esplanades and is currently being operated by a number of departments including Property Services where the majority of criminal damage occurs to public toilet blocks (see attached Appendix B).
Property Services are generally notified by the Contract Cleaners when criminal damage or other defects occur to the premises they are cleaning. With regard to criminal damage, a crime sheet is completed and faxed through to the Police. The Police respond by completing the sheet and allocating a crime number (see attached Appendix C). Property Services then contact a listed company from their Schedule of Rates and raise an order number. The company attend within 2 hours and the necessary works are usually carried out within 24 hours. When the works are carried out the company invoice the Council and a financial record is made on the Wealden system.
A quality control check is possible as the Contract
Cleaners would notify Property Services of any defects.
In some exceptional cases of continuous criminal damage, then the premises is kept locked with a designated key-holder, the Parish Clerk. They hold the key and unlock the premises for specific local events.
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Reporting
Not all criminal damage is reported to the Police. This may be due to a number of things:
· A feeling that the Police will not do anything
· A feeling that the Police will not be able to catch the offender due to lack of evidence
· Difficulty in reporting to the Police
· Damage was low level and not worth reporting
In order to address this it is proposed to develop tailor-made crime sheets for the different Council departments. A letter explaining the importance of reporting the occurance and of the need to monitor costs would accompany this.
Monitoring Costs
Monitoring the cost of criminal damage is crucial not only to inform Members and Departments, but also to enable resources to be used effectively. This would involve cost-benefit-analysis to ensure appropriate action is being taken. In the case of public toilets this may also include a system for counting the number of times the toilets are being used, either to justify spend or to recommend closure in some cases.
Raising an order number for works required as a result of criminal damage and entering this on Wealden, will help to identify cost trends over time.
Crime Prevention
At present advice from the Police is done on an ad hoc basis. If the above areas for improvement are implemented, then the Crime and Disorder Facilitator, within the Crime and Disorder Team, who has trained both as a Crime Prevention Officer and an Architectural Liaison Officer, can carry out site visits to the premises experiencing the worst problems. His recommendations can then be considered including any cost-benefit.
Written Procedures
Currently there are no written procedures for processing criminal damage. It would benefit all departments if they could refer to clear procedures and a flow chart of action.
COWES INITIATIVE
The Cowes Initiative has recently started as a result of a large number of criminal damage incidents, including a number of racist graffiti comments. The local Police under Sgt Attwood and officers from Property Services and Park, Beaches and Esplanades are liasing over criminal damage. As soon as it is discovered every effort is made to remove/repair the damage within 24 hours and the Police gather evidence and make enquiries within the area. A number of local residents are also helping with the initiative and notifying the Police if criminal damage is seen.
REPARATION
Although 17.5% of incidents of reported criminal damage is detected, the penalty is relatively minor with most offenders given a warning and very few resulting in court action. Best practice national highlights the benefits of using reparation in cases of criminal damage.
Reparation is where the offender of a crime can instead of paying a fine or receiving a sentence, makes good what he or she has done. For example, if the offender has put graffiti on a wall or vandalised a playground, he or she would be involved in removing graffiti in the area, or making good playground area. The victim(s) of the offence can chose not to receive reparation by the offender(s).
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The cost implications as a result of this report are positive with potential for cost savings.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
Criminal damage accounts for 25% of all reported crime on the Island and is increasing. If criminal damage continues to rise at its current rate it and may encourage other forms of anti-social behaviour and other criminal activities.
The perception of crime is always far greater than the reality. Criminal damage is one of the key indicators that members of the public use to gauge crime levels in their area. Therefore higher levels of criminal damage will result in a higher perception of overall crime on the Island, both to residents and to visitors.
