HC Deb 15 June 1989 vol 154 cc509-10W
49. Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to promote effective crime prevention; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

The contribution that the public can make towards reducing crime is the theme of a three-year publicity campaign which we started in March 1988; the associated crime prevention handbook, which contains a great deal of practical advice, is now in its second edition and nearly 2.5 million copies of it have been distributed. In May 1988 an independent crime prevention organisation, Crime Concern, was launched with financial support from the Home Office, with the objective of stimulating and developing local crime prevention activity. The development of crime prevention in the inner city is being taken forward through the safer cities programme which was launched in March 1988.